Bruce Irvin has apologised to his Seattle Seahawks teammates after it was announced that he would serve a suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.
The defensive end will miss the opening four games of his second season in the league.
The 26-year-old said in a statement: "I want to apologise to my teammates, coaches and Seahawks fans for making a mistake when I took a substance that is prohibited in the NFL without a medical exemption.
"I am extremely disappointed in the poor judgment I showed and take full responsibility for my actions. I will not appeal the discipline and instead will focus my energy on preparing for the season so I can begin earning your trust and respect again. I look forward to contributing to the team the moment I return."
He later added on Twitter: "I messed up and I feel so bad and have been depressed for weeks now. I've had sleepless nights because I knew when this came out, I would let so many people down, including myself. Once again, I'm sorry and take full responsibility for my actions."
Irvin made 16 tackles in his first year with the Seahawks, including eight sacks and a forced fumble.
Sian Cowper
