Panthers' Davis says he's been suspended 4 games for failed PED test

Carolina Panthers veteran linebacker Thomas Davis will serve a four-game suspension to begin the 2018 season after testing positive for a banned estrogen blocker, he announced.

"I was completely caught off guard by this," he said in a video posted to his Twitter account. "I've never in any way done anything to intentionally cheat the game."

Davis added that he's not sure what triggered the positive result, as he's taken the same supplements for the last seven-to-eight years without encountering a problem.

"I've always tried to do things the right way," he said. "That's something that I will continue to do when I'm able to get back on the field. I can honestly tell you guys that my conscience is clear in this situation."

The 35-year-old is going into his 14th season in the NFL, all of which he's played with the Panthers. He made three consecutive Pro Bowls from 2015-17, and was named Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year for his work in the community in 2014.

Thomas had 76 tackles and 2.5 sacks last year in 15 games. He missed one game due to suspension for a vicious hit on Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams.

Davis said at the end of his video that the 2018 season may not be his last in the NFL, even though it's the final year of his current contract with Carolina. He previously indicated his intention to retire after the upcoming campaign.