The New England Patriots will be without defensive end Rob Ninkovich for four games to start the season after he tested positive for a banned substance, he said in an ESPN report.
Ninkovich, 32, is a former New Orleans Saints player selected by the team in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft.
"Few things are more important to me than my name and reputation," he said, via ESPN. "This might call that into question for some, which has me heartbroken. I don't want to cut any corners. I want to do things the right way, with high integrity, and that's what I have always wanted to stand for.