Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Robert Quinn has been suspended by the NFL for taking seizure medicine. On Thursday, it was announced that the league has suspended Quinn for the first two games of the season. Quinn will be able to participate in all the preseason games and he’s eligible to return to the team on Sept. 16 after the Cowboys take on the Washington Redskins.
The reason Quinn was suspended by the league was for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. However, as Quinn’s agent Sean Kiernan mentioned, Quinn has to take the medicine because of his history with seizures.
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Statement re: Robert Quinn pic.twitter.com/EY5D5KJslJ
— Sean Kiernan (@SKiernan78) August 8, 2019
“I am extremely disappointed in the NFL for following through with this suspension,” Kiernan said in his statement. “In life, there are real-world instances where a totality of the circumstances must be analyzed. This is one such case. Rob has a medical history with seizures that requires him to take multiple doses of preventative medication daily to regulate them. He was tested April 2nd under the NFL Steroid Policy. He failed the test for a substance called probenecid, which is classified as a masking agent under the policy. He does not take any supplements and took nothing else during this period that would create a positive test for probenecid if fact he had no idea what probenecid was or what it was used for.
“… Rob will be punished for something that would have been impossible for him to prevent, and even though the NFL admitted during the hearing that it did not believe Rob was intentionally doping, they still suspended him. The arbitrator gave us a fair hearing, but the strength at which the league argued against Rob was incredibly disappointing. I was especially disgusted by the actions of NFL Attorney Kevin Manara both prior to and during the hearing. I feel bad for Rob and his family because he did nothing wrong, yet they still had to go through this excruciating process where his character and integrity were ridiculed. I hope the league office will be more thoughtful and conscious in the future if this ever happens to another player.”
Quinn suffered two fractures in his left hand earlier this week and the Dallas Morning News reported he underwent successful surgery on Thursday. The recovery time will take about a month or less, so if the suspension is overturned, Quinn could be ready for the season opener on Sept. 8.
Quinn was traded to the Dallas Cowboys from the Miami Dolphins this offseason. The veteran defensive end has been in the NFL since 2011 and has reached the Pro Bowl twice while being named the All-Pro First Team in 2013 when he was a member of the St. Louis Rams.
