Following Monday night's 45-3 blowout win over the New York Jets, rookie linebacker Brandon Spikes appeared to finally be coming into his own after a rocky start to his pro football career.
Unfortunately he just took quite a hit, and it appears to be self inflicted.
Ian Rapoport of the Boston Herald reported on Friday that Spikes has been suspended for the use of a banned substance. This will keep him out for the final four games of the season for New England, although he hopes to return for the playoffs.
It's become a season he'd probably like to forget. After Spikes started off his rookie campaign with a "sex tape scandal", he more or less put his head down and continued to work hard while trying to get better as he learned his role in the Patriots defensive scheme. He's gotten better each week, and had started to appear that he was finally settling into his role on the defensive side of the football. He even recorded a red zone interception Monday night against the Jets. He's recored 61 tackles along with 3 pass deflections and had really looked like he was finally starting to figure things out and get comfortable.
Now the next few weeks he'll be at home watching the rest of his teammates try to keep things rolling while he's forced to sit out.
Rapoport Tweeted that the rookie has not been suspended for ingesting a steroid, and will not appeal the suspension.
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