Texans DT Mario Edwards suspended 4 games for violating substances of abuse policy

Houston Texans defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr. has been suspended for four games for violating the league’s substances of abuse policy, the NFL announced on Monday afternoon.

It’s unclear what Edwards did specifically to violate that policy. He will be eligible for reinstatement after Houston’s matchup against the Detroit Lions on Nov. 10.

The announcement came just a day after Edwards’ best game of the season. He had eight total tackles in the Texans’ blowout 41-21 win over Drake Maye and the New England Patriots on Sunday, which marked their third straight win and moved them to 5-1 on the season. Edwards has 18 total tackles, eight solo tackles and two sacks on the season.

Edwards was also suspended in 2021 for violating the NFL’s performance enhancing drug policy. The 30-year-old, who the Raiders first selected in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Florida State, signed a one-year, $1.65 million deal with the Texans this past offseason.

While they are losing Edwards for the next month, Texans defensive lineman Denico Autry was reinstated on Monday after he served a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance enhancing drug policy. Autry has not played yet this season, and he signed a two-year, $20 million deal to land in Houston earlier this summer. He had a career-high 50 total tackles and 11.5 sacks last season with the Tennessee Titans.

The Texans will take on the Green Bay Packers next on Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field.