This is not the news that new NY Giants general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll wanted to receive. It was just announced that second-year linebacker Justin Hilliard, a former star for the Ohio State Buckeyes, has tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug.
Because of this, the 6-1, 230-pound ‘backer has received a two-game suspension, without pay, from the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell. This all came from out of nowhere and it has also arrived with training camp a little over a month away. As you might have been able to guess, Hilliard was quite disappointed in receiving the news.
Giants’ LB Justin Hilliard has been suspended without pay for the first two games of the 2022 regular season for violating the NFL Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 17, 2022
NY Giants LB Justin Hillard tested positive for Spironolactone
"“I have been informed by the NFL that I tested positive for a banned diuretic – Spironolactone (Canrenone),” Hilliard posted on his Twitter account. “After investigation, it became clear that I mistakenly took my partner’s prescription medication instead of my own anti-inflammatory prescription. I am well aware of the NFL’s zero-tolerance policy, and I take full responsibility for having a banned substance in my body.”"
As you can see from Hilliard’s statement that he posted on social media, he came out and said that he took the diuretic by mistake and that it wasn’t his intention to violate any league rules. He’s of course shaken up about how things have gone done, which is understandable. Despite that, he’s still been given the two-game suspension from the league, meaning he’ll miss the Week 1 showdown vs. the Titans and the Week 2 matchup vs. the Panthers.
Last season for the Giants, Hilliard appeared in two games in his first year with the team. He went undrafted after a solid career with the Buckeyes, but signed with the 49ers shortly after the seventh round wrapped up. After things didn’t work out with him and the NFC West side, the G-Men decided to give him a shot with a deal.
Despite not being a big name, Hilliard was hoping to make some noise in Year 2 with the Giants from the start of the campaign. Unfortunately for him and Daboll, he’ll have to wait to Week 3 before he can make any kind of an impact for new defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. This suspension is a big step back for him and not the kind of update the team wanted to hear about after minicamp recently wrapped up.