SANTA CLARA — Tashaun Gipson, the 49ers’ starting safety for the past two seasons, has drawn a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy against performance-enhancing substances, according to a league spokesman.
The 49ers had no official comment as Gipson became an unrestricted free agent in March.
Gipson’s discipline — “suspended by the Commissioner” — was revealed by the NFL on its Tuesday transaction notice.
Gipson, 33, remains eligible to sign with a team and participate in preseason practices and games, before his suspension goes into effect once 53-man rosters are set before the regular season.
Signed in the 2022 preseason as a late fill-in for an injured Jimmie Ward, Gipson started every game the past two seasons except for this January’s regular-season finale, when he was ruled out because of a quadriceps injury prior to the 49ers’ most recent playoff run to Super Bowl LVIII.
Gipson provided one of the 49ers’ biggest plays last postseason: He forced a Jahmyr Gibbs fumble that Arik Armstead recovered at the Detroit 24-yard line, setting up Christian McCaffrey’s game-tying touchdown run in the 49ers’ NFC Championship Game comeback over the Lions. Gipson’s forced fumble came with 5 minutes left in the third quarter, and it came on the game’s first snap after Brandon Aiyuk caught a Brock Purdy touchdown pass to help dig into the Lions’ 24-7 halftime lead.
The 49ers’ projected starting safeties heading into this coming season are Ji’Ayir Brown and Talanoa Hufanga, the latter of whom is still recovering from last November’s torn anterior cruciate ligament. Brown stepped up as a rookie to replace Hufanga and start alongside Gipson.
While Hufanga rehabilitated on the side during the offseason program, Brown and George Odum served as the first-string safeties. Others on the roster: rookie Malik Mustapha, Erik Harris, Tayler Hawkins, and Jaylen Mahoney.
Prior to joining the 49ers, Gipson spent 10 seasons in the NFL, with the Cleveland Browns, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Houston Texans, and the Chicago Bears.
Gipson had five interceptions in 2022 to earn another one-year contract from the 49ers. Last season, he had one interception and drew a questionable late-hit penalty that set up the Cleveland Browns’ winning drive in the 49ers’ first loss in Week 6.
Long snapper Kyle Nelson was the last 49er to receive a PED-related suspension, that for 10 games in 2018. Earlier that year, wide receiver Victor Bolden drew a four-game, PED suspension.