OXNARD, Calif. – Orlando Scandrick clarified how his four-game suspension came about Tuesday and blamed no one but himself.
Scandrick was suspended under the performance enhancing drug policy, but he said he didn't ingest anything to gain a competitive football advantage when he tested positive in April, and he was regretful for the bad decision.
"I know I'm responsible for what goes in my body," Scandrick said. "This is a very humbling experience. I'm very sorry. I apologize to the Jones family. I'm very sorry to my teammates, I'm very sorry to the fans of the Cowboy Nation and I'm very sorry to my family."
Scandrick said he tested positive for something he ingested in a recreational use while vacationing out of the country.
"In no way, form or shape was this trying to gain a competitive edge," he said. "I just simply made a mistake. It was just a dumb mistake."
Despite the recreational use, his positive test for amphetamines fell under the performance enhancing drug policy, which meant an automatic four-game suspension. Scandrick said it took about a month for the league to inform him he tested positive. He was informed Monday his appeal was denied.
Scandrick said the appeal only works if the punishment was inappropriate, and it was clear in the Collective Bargaining Agreement that this would be the punishment. However, Scandrick didn't know at the time he ingested that substance that it would test positive under the performance enhancing drug program. He also didn't want to specify what the specific substance was.
"To clear up those rumors, I wasn't persuaded, nor was I drugged," Scandrick said. "I simply just made a bad choice."
He said he doesn't have any excuse for what he did, and that he takes full responsibility and accountability. Scandrick reiterated he didn't take anything to enhance his performance, saying it was a mistake that can't happen and won't happen again.
Scandrick said he addressed his teammates and head coach Jason Garrett about the situation. He said Garrett's known what was going on throughout the process and has been supportive. Scandrick said the support from his teammates was also phenomenal, but he knows he's hurt the team and was apologetic and remorseful for that.
He said, if anything, he hopes his teammates can learn from his mistake.
"We're a team," Scandrick said. "We're a family. We're here for each other. I just let them know that I'm sorry and that if they can learn anything from me, you need to do all the right things, even when no one is looking and you don't think anyone is looking."
Scandrick was the one anticipated starting corner who was healthy for every practice of training camp. He was also one of the best defenders throughout camp, particularly on Sunday, when he knocked a pass away from Dez Bryant in the end zone and delivered a pop on Dwayne Harris. [embedded_ad]
The corner said he's very disappointed in what happened, but he's been prepared for the news since early April and he'll be ready to play when he's reinstated after four games. He said it hasn't been difficult to practice knowing this was about to occur.
"I love this game and I respect this game," Scandrick said. "Obviously, on that moment in April, I was very disrespectful to this game, I was very disrespectful to this team, to this organization, to the National Football League. I have to face the consequences for what I ingested."
Head coach Jason Garrett said Scandrick will continue to get work throughout the preseason and practice with the team at this point. But once the regular season starts, he can't be part of the team for those four weeks.
That's a major loss, considering Scandrick has been the most proven cornerback throughout camp. "Orlando's a really good player for us and has been, and it will have an impact on our team not having a guy like that, who has been a starter for us in a couple different roles for a number of years," Garrett said. "He brings a great spirit to our team, he plays the right way. Not to have him for the first four games will impact us. But like with an injury, this kind of situation provides an opportunity."
