Giants' Golden Tate Loses Appeal, Will Serve 4 Game Suspension for PED Test

New York Giants wide receiver Golden Tate will serve a four-game suspension to begin the 2019 season after losing the appeal of his positive performance-enhancing drug test. 

Tate responded to the news on Twitter:

Tate, who signed with the Giants this offseason, released a statement last month saying his positive test was the result of fertility treatment. 

"This past April, during the offseason, my wife and I decided to see a specialist for fertility planning," Tate said then. "I started the treatment prescribed to me and just days later I discovered it contained an ingredient that is on the league's banned substance list. I immediately discontinued use, I reported the situation to the Independent Administrator of the NFL Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances, and I spoke with my coaches and general manager. I did all of this well before a failed test was even confirmed."

Tate said he was "confident" the NFL would overturn the suspension because the treatment did not give him a competitive advantage. This is his first positive test under the league's PED policy.

The Giants will field one of the NFL's shakiest receiving corps with Tate out of the lineup. Sterling Shepard is the only other wideout on the roster who has any record of NFL success. The Giants will likely go with Bennie Fowler or Cody Latimer, both guys who have not performed at a high level.

It's possible the Giants choose to wait until Tate's suspension ends to make the transition to first-round pick Daniel Jones. Eli Manning has been the favorite to start Week 1 throughout camp, and Tate's suspension should make that a lock. The Giants should want their full complement of skill-position players around Jones when he makes his formal NFL debut.

Tate will be allowed to continue practicing and playing during the preseason. He will return following the team's Week 4 game against Washington.