Carolina Panthers Pro Bowl linebacker Thomas Davis was handed a four-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance for the first time in his career. It has pushed him out of action for the first month of the 2018 regular season.

Prior to this suspension, Davis had declared back in January that next season would be the last in his career. Following the news of this violation of the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy, the 35-year-old has hinted at possibly extending his playing days to a 15th campaign.

This has pushed away the opportunity for Davis to retire on his own terms in a full played season without any distraction placed upon him. Now he will have to sit the first four games that will only allow him to play up to 12 games if he's able to remain healthy throughout the year.

Davis has been a cornerstone for the Panthers spending his entire NFL career with the franchise where he has earned three Pro Bowl selections, a First-Team All-Pro nod, and was the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. Prior to the 2017 season, he also had five straight campaigns with at least 100 tackles. In his first 13 years, he has recorded 1,017 tackles with 28.0 sacks, 13 interceptions, and 18 forced fumbles. He is the all-time franchise leader in tackles, eighth in sacks, second in forced fumbles, and seventh in interceptions.

The fact that he is considering prolonging his career another season beyond 2018 at this point is just a possibility as he's in the final year of his deal worth $7.7 million and is on track to hit the free agent market next March. Davis could wait until next offseason before inking a new deal with the team in a similar fashion that veteran defensive end Julius Peppers did last month by agreeing to a one-year contract.