NFL News: Experienced Pro Bowl safety Tashaun Gipson suspended for six games

The NFL has very strict rules when it comes to athletes who violate the league’s doping policies. For example, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will miss the first two games of the 2024 season after violating the league’s doping policy.

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The NFL has struck again, but on a larger scale, against current free agent safety Tashaun Gipson. It was announced that Gipson has been suspended for the first six games of the 2024 season.

Longtime NFL analyst Adam Schefter reported on Gipson’s suspension, saying, “Free agent safety Tashaun Gipson has been suspended six games for a violation of the performance-enhancing substance policy.”

No details have been released about what substance Gipson ingested that led to his suspension, but he will have to wait until a third of the season is over before he can play for a team.

Gipson joined the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2012. In his rookie season, he totaled 33 tackles, one interception, and one pass defensed. Gipson’s most successful season came in 2014, when he was named to the Pro Bowl after recording 52 tackles, six interceptions, and one defensive touchdown.

After four seasons with the Browns, Gipson signed a five-year, $36 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. In his three seasons with the Jaguars, Gipson totaled 159 tackles, six interceptions and 16 passes defensed.

Gipson then signed a three-year, $22.25 million contract with the Houston Texans in 2019, but only played one season with the team. He was released in April 2020.

Gipson then spent the next two seasons with the Chicago Bears, recording 113 tackles, four interceptions, one sack and ten passes defensed.

In 2022, Gipson signed a one-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers. Although he was released on August 30, 2022, he was signed to the practice squad the following day. He was eventually promoted to the active roster on September 13, 2022.

After a successful 2022 season with the 49ers in which he recorded 61 tackles, five interceptions, half a sack and eight passes defensed, the 49ers signed him to a one-year contract extension for the 2023 season, despite him recording only one interception, one sack and 60 tackles during that time.

Gipson has yet to sign a contract with a new team, and even if reserves become thin due to injuries or poor performance, teams may want to avoid relying on a player who won’t be back in action until Week 7.