Contrary to the initial belief, the New York Giants knew early on that wide receiver Golden Tate might run into trouble after mistakenly taking a performance-enhancing substance.
Tate was not on any substance at the time the Giants signed him to a four-year, $37.5 million contract on March 15. He took the alleged banned substance well after that.
“This past April, during the off-season, my wife and I decided to see a specialist for fertility planning,” Tate said in a press release on Saturday. “I started the treatment prescribed to me and just days later I discovered it contained an ingredient that is on the league’s banned substance list.
“I immediately discontinued use, I reported the situation to the Independent Administrator of the NFL Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances, and I spoke with my coaches and general manager. I did all of this well before a failed test was even confirmed…Per NFL protocol, an initial suspension was imminent, but myself and the Giants organization are confident in the facts, and eagerly await my appeal to put this behind us.”
It is not clear what that substance was, or how much he was prescribed, but it was enough to warrant a four-game suspension from the league, which Tate is appealing.
“We found out, it was certainly after we signed him,” head coach Pat Shurmur said. “All along, he’s been very honest with us. When this situation arose, he’s been very honest with us. It’s just getting to the point now where I think he’s going to have his appeal.”
That appeal is scheduled for sometime in August, so the Giants will know what Tate’s penance will be. It’s not certain the league will look the other way, even if this was a mistake. Many a player has been suspended after not knowing a substance prescribed to them was banned.
Tate will continue to participate in practices until his appeal is heard.
“For him right now, it’s business as usual,” said Shurmur. “He’s out there practicing and getting ready to play. This really is between him and the league at this point. As an organization, we’ll deal with it as it comes down the road.”
A positive test is a positive test. He will be suspended, but the league could reduce the penalty down from four games given the circumstances. That is rare, however, and unlikely to happen.
Tate’s suspension could not have come at a worse time. The Giants are going through a rash of injuries to their wide receiving corps which has drastically cut into their depth.
“We’ve got other guys that are competing to make our team,” Shurmur said. “We just keep moving.”
