Appealing Lewan resigned to missing Week 1

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan said Thursday that he plans to appeal his pending suspension but is resigned to the fact that he will not play in Week 1.

“It’s unfortunate. I wanted to make sure I was the one that broke the news. I wanted this to be as little of a distraction as possible. I didn’t take anything knowingly and wouldn’t cheat the game. I want people to know that I am not a cheater. That’s what is most important to me,” Lewan said, addressing the media for the first time after releasing a video stating he was notified that he tested positive for a banned substance.

He passed a test that was administered in April, but the test that he failed was on May 28. Lewan received a letter from the NFL in June.

He’ll still be at training camp when the Titans take the field, but his focus will be on helping whoever will take over for him in the season opener against the Browns.

“I am so sorry that I won’t be here for the first four games of the season. I want this to come and go as fast as possible. If I could have strung it out for a game or two, it’s never a good time to miss a game. I’d rather tell my truth in everything that is right and move past that,” Lewan said.

“It’s going to kill me. It will be a horrible feeling to sit there on Sundays and watch it on TV. Not being able to come to a facility that I’ve been coming to for five years and not being able to come in is going to break my heart. It breaks my heart to talk about it.”

Titans general manager Jon Robinson and head coach Mike Vrabel said Lewan was fully transparent and informed them of the positive test when he found out. Robinson said Lewan looked him in the eye and told him that he didn’t take the substance knowingly.

According to Lewan, most of the supplements that he takes are NSF certified, meaning a third party comes in and tests the supplements. There are others that he took that are being tested as well. He pointed to how the supplements are made and tested in batches and what is added in between the process is unknown.

Lewan suffered a concussion in Week 1 last season. That injury changed things for him. He started taking new supplements after the season because he wanted to fight the brain conditions that can arise from concussions. After the season, Lewan and his wife sat down and talked about their long-term future.

Added Lewan, “A lot of the stuff that I was taking is for brain health. What’s important to me is being able to walk around with my daughter and have a coherent conversation, slow down the effects of what this game can do to you. A lot changes when you have a 2-year-old daughter.”