The Indianapolis Colts have taken a lot of tough blows lately, and they took another on Tuesday, when it was announced that defensive tackle Grover Stewart is being suspended six games without pay for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. The Colts will be without one of their standout defensive tackles for the next six games, but he will be eligible to return this season, in Week 14.
Grover Stewart suspended by NFL for six games
Stewart is a fan favorite in Indianapolis, and has consistently been one of the most underrated players in the NFL. Spending his entire career with the Colts since being drafted by the team in 2017, Stewart has really been a dominant force in the last two seasons. After becoming a full-time starter in 2019, Stewart gave Indy consistent play, but he had a breakout season in 2022.
During that breakout season, Grover Stewart started all 17 games, recording 70 tackles, nine for a loss, four sacks, seven quarterback hits, and four batted balls— all career highs. He has been just as dominant to start this season. In Indy’s first six games, Stewart has 20 tackles, two for a loss, and five quarterback hits.
The elite play couldn’t have come at a better time for Stewart, as he’s in the final season of his contract with the Colts. Set to be a free agent during the 2024 offseason, Stewart was on track to receive a nice contract from the Colts or one of the other teams in the league. That momentum will now take a hit as he sits out for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
Statement from Colts DT Grover Stewart: pic.twitter.com/AyyUA9Hl4E
— JJ Stankevitz (@JJStankevitz) October 17, 2023
Grover Stewart apologizes for violating the NFL’s PEDs policy
Stewart has already taken to social media with a statement, apologizing to the the league, the team, the fans, and his family. He expressed that he “was suprised and disappointed to learn violated the policy.” Stewart went on to say that he respects the integrity of the game, and would never intentionally take a banned substance. However, he does take responsibility for the things he put in his body and vows to learn from this situations.
He’ll have six weeks to think about the mistake he made, and the Colts will be forced to move forward without him. It’ll be hard to replace the impact Stewart has, but this does open the door for younger players like Dayo Odeyingbo and Adetomiwa Adebawore to have an impact.