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The suspension thread

Exactly what I expected.
NFLPA opts not to vote on NFL drug policy proposal

Posted by Mike Florio on September 9, 2014, 10:01 PM EDT

Finally, a proposal on a new drug policy arrived from the NFL. The NFLPA board of player representatives, however, decided not to vote on it.

“There was no vote tonight,” NFLPA spokesman George Atallah told PFT via text message. “There are still unresolved issues. We will continue to work toward a comprehensive agreement on the drug policies.”

The NFLPA convened a conference call of the 32 player representatives in order to vote on the league’s proposal. The matter wasn’t put to a vote, which indicates that union leadership did not believe the proposal was strong enough to merit consideration by the full body of representatives.

Negotiations presumably will continue. It’s unclear when or if a new agreement will be reached.
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Just love how these changes of NFL PED and Substance Abuse rules arbitrarily effect how previous offenders' (Gordon vs Welker and Scandrick) suspensions are "adjusted.":rake: I guess NFL "justice" as it affects Peyton and Jeruh is more fair than for others.:mcnugget:
 
Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter
The 7 listed names are part of estimated 20 who will be affected by new drug policy once NFL approves it, likely to occur in next 24 hours.

WRs Josh Gordon and former Colt LaVon Brazill will have their season-long suspensions reduced to 10 games, per sources.

Players to be reinstated: WR Wes Welker, WR Steadman Bailey, DB Orlando Scandrick, OL Eric Herman, DE Spencer Nealy via @mortreport and me.

Upon agreement of term sheet for new drug policy, these players will be reinstated:... http://fb.me/21xXjd6ui
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Ravens lose Ngata to PED suspension
The NFL has announced that defensive lineman Haloti Ngata will miss the rest of the regular season due to a violation of the PED policy.

“I made a mistake, and I own this,” Ngata said in a statement issued by the Ravens. “I took Adderall and take full responsibility for doing this. I am deeply sorry and broken up over this. I let down my family, my teammates, Ravens fans and myself. My hope is that the Ravens make the playoffs, and I believe they can do this. And, then I can come back and help us win.”
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Huuuuge loss for that defense.
 
Stupid move by Ngata....he really let his teammates down....

That said, I still think the Ravens go into Reliant and beat the Texans handily
 
Strange how routine these stories are when they undermine the very foundational integrity of the game itself. Let a little air out of a ball and it becomes a federal case and front page news. Fill your body with a bunch of toxic chemicals in order to get an edge...m'eh.
 
Double Barrel said:
Strange how routine these stories are when they undermine the very foundational integrity of the game itself. Let a little air out of a ball and it becomes a federal case and front page news. Fill your body with a bunch of toxic chemicals in order to get an edge...m'eh.
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This guy is substance abuse not PED.
 
infantrycak said:
This guy is substance abuse not PED.
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Yes, been using this as a catchall "failed test" thread.
pardon.gif
 
NFL's performance-enhancing drug testing will get tougher
Alex Marvez

No NFL player has been caught for using human-growth hormone since testing began last October.

The independent administrator for the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy believes that will eventually change.

“I think the difficulty with the HGH test is the sensitivity of the test and the window that you can detect it,” Dr. John Lombardo told co-host Gil Brandt and me on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “The test we have now is a very short window. There is another test that is being developed now that has a much longer window – it could be five to eight days. You get that test and it’s going to be a different situation. The short window is a tough one to deal with. And it’s the same in every sport.

“I’m sure at some point in time somebody will test positive if they’re using it.”

After years of negotiations, the NFL and NFL Players Association finally adopted HGH testing as part of an overhaul of the league’s drug programs. About 40 players league-wide are tested during each week of the regular season and five on each playoff team. The NFL also can test for reasonable cause.

Athletes use human-growth hormone in hopes of receiving physical benefits such as increased energy, more muscle mass and faster recovery time. The long-term damage that can occur from taking HGH is one of the reasons for the NFL ban as the league tries to prevent an environment where players feel pressured to risk their health and use performance-enhancing drugs like anabolic steroids to compete with peers who don’t share those same concerns.

Lombardo addressed the PED issue with the players who are attending this week’s NFL Rookie Symposium in Aurora. Asked whether he thinks there are fewer rookies using PEDs than in the past, Lombardo said, “I think you still see it. The education is there. The testing is there in the colleges. It helps. But I don’t think the problem ever goes away.”​
 
Adam Caplan @CaplanNFL

Here's his statement along with the team: TE Antonio Gates Suspended Four Games by NFL http://t.co/IASpwvAf5M via @chargers​

Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter

And, Green Bay's Datone Jones also suspended for first game of season for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse.

Suspension Thursday: Cowboys' Rolando McClain also suspended four games for violating substance abuse policy, via NFL.

Jets DL Sheldon Richardson suspended first four games for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse, per NFL.​
 
Bit more on McClain:

Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain has been suspended for the first four games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, putting two key Dallas defenders on the sideline to start the season with pass rusher Greg Hardy's 10-game ban.

The league said in a statement Thursday that McClain would be suspended without pay and eligible to return for Dallas' Week 5 game against New England. He can participate in training camp and all four preseason games.

The suspension is likely to cost McClain more than his base salary because of bonuses tied to playing time in the one-year, $3 million contract he signed this offseason.
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http://start.toshiba.com/news/read/...lb_rolando_mcclain_suspended_1st_4_games_o-ap
 
Maybe the nfl can open up its own supermarket/drug store in each of the cities containing only the finest food/drugs that only a professional athlete can eat. "Eat like a superstar" could be the moto.

:kitten:
 
Playoffs said:
Adam Caplan @CaplanNFL

Here's his statement along with the team: TE Antonio Gates Suspended Four Games by NFL http://t.co/IASpwvAf5M via @chargers​

Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter

And, Green Bay's Datone Jones also suspended for first game of season for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse.

Suspension Thursday: Cowboys' Rolando McClain also suspended four games for violating substance abuse policy, via NFL.

Jets DL Sheldon Richardson suspended first four games for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse, per NFL.​
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Suspension fallout: Assessing the damage

The NFL league office rang in the Fourth of July weekend with a host of suspensions on Thursday. With four key players banned to start the season, let's take a look at the fallout for each team.

1. Sheldon Richardson, Jets defensive lineman: Over the past decade, Richardson's 144 tackles are the most any defensive lineman has generated in his first two NFL seasons. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2013, made the Pro Bowl in 2014 and led the Jets in sacks last season. In short, he has rivaled Muhammad Wilkerson as the organization's most valuable player over the past two seasons.

On the bright side, the Jets are prepared to play without Richardson for a quarter of the season after drafting Leonard Williams -- widely viewed as this year's top defensive prospect -- at No. 6 overall. A defensive line of Williams, Wilkerson and Damon "Snacks" Harrison should still be among the league's most stout.

2. Antonio Gates, Chargers tight end: A potential Hall of Famer and one of the best tight ends of his generation, Gates has been Philip Rivers' security blanket for the past decade. Although he's lost a step at age 35, Gates remains a top-notch red-zone weapon.

Similar to the Jets with Richardson, the Chargers have a premium four-game insurance policy in the form of Ladarius Green. One of our top "Making the Leap" candidates last season, Green has the physical gifts to start for more than half of the NFL's 32 teams. He might not match Gates' end-zone prowess, but still offers the speed to stretch the seam. This is not a back-breaking suspension for Rivers' aerial attack.

3. Rolando McClain, Cowboys linebacker: A finalist for Comeback Player of the Year in 2014, McClain was often the best player on a Dallas defense that exceeded expectations. That said, he's never been known for reliability. The four-game suspension couldn't have been a major surprise.

The Cowboys have a trio of players with middle linebacker experience in Sean Lee, second-year thumper Anthony Hitchens and journeyman Jasper Brinkley. They'll want to keep Lee on the weak side to help avoid injuries, which leaves Hitchens and Brinkley as candidates to fill McClain's role. Although both are assets in the run game, the Cowboys might need to shift in a safety alongside Lee on obvious passing downs.

4. Datone Jones, Packers defensive end: Another of our 2014 "Making the Leap" candidates, showed flashes of disruption last season but never emerged as an impact starter. With B.J. Raji now healthy to pair with Josh Boyd in a rotation, the Packers have the depth to deal with Jones' one-game absence.​
 
ESPN Stats & Info @ESPNStatsInfo
NFL PED suspensions handed out today:
Broncos DE Derek Wolfe - 4 games
Chiefs DB Sean Smith - 3 games
Vikings DB Jabari Price - 2 games​
 
Ed Werder @edwerderESPN
Former #Jaguars WR Ace Sanders 10-game suspension for second violation of #NFL drug policy. Suspended 4 games last year as well​
 
Akeem Spence has been suspended for the first game of the regular season for violating the league's substance abuse policy.


Ryan Seymour has been suspended for the first four weeks of the regular season for violating the league's policy on performance enhancing substances.
 
Quite a story!

R. J. Dill has been suspended 4 games for violating the league's policy on performance enhancing drugs and will be eligible to return Week 5 against the Patriots.

Press Release
Statement on Behalf of R.J. Dill
For Immediate Release
August 28, 2015

STATEMENT RELEASED ON BEHALF OF R.J. DILL

I want to share personal details about the circumstances surrounding my suspension because there is a stigma associated with a suspension under the Performance Enhancing Substances Policy that is unwarranted in my case. In August 2014, I thought my dream of playing in the NFL was over, and I began to transition away from professional football. During these months away from football I noticed a drastic change in my energy and activity levels, so I saw my doctor, and blood tests revealed that my testosterone levels were very low. My doctor suggested that I undergo testosterone replacement therapy, and I accepted the recommended treatment. I completed one round of testosterone replacement therapy in November of 2014, and almost immediately, I felt like my old self again. At this time I was not under contract with any NFL team, nor was I actively pursuing an NFL career.

Then, in January of 2015, I unexpectedly received a call from the Dallas Cowboys. They were interested in signing me to a futures contract, and after passing a physical, I signed a contract and immersed myself in training for the 2015 NFL season. Unfortunately, my excitement was subdued when in May 2015 I was told by the NFL that I had failed a drug test. While my doctor had told me that the residual amounts of the testosterone would be out of my system about eight weeks after treatment, that was not accurate, and I failed a drug test a full six months after I had received the prescribed treatment.

Since being notified of my failed test, I attempted to secure a Therapeutic Use Exception (“TUE”) from the NFL, but was it was denied because the NFL only permits exogenous testosterone treatment in extreme medical situations. I consulted with my union after the positive test and learned that even in these circumstances, the NFL imposes discipline because having the intention to cheat or break the rules is not required for a violation of NFL’s PES policy (or any workplace drug policy). It is very difficult for me to accept that a suspension is imposed by the NFL after I followed treatment prescribed by a medical professional during a time when I was not employed by an NFL team. In my view, this situation carries the weight of an unforgiving label, ‘cheater,’ which I am not. I live with integrity, on and off the field, and I want people to understand the factual circumstances of my suspension, so that they, and the NFL, understand that I never sought a competitive advantage. Finally, I would like to thank my family, friends, and the Dallas Cowboys organization for their continued support.


--R.J. Dill
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CloakNNNdagger said:
Quite a story!

R. J. Dill has been suspended 4 games for violating the league's policy on performance enhancing drugs and will be eligible to return Week 5 against the Patriots.
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This is a story of extremism. If the doctor recommended treatment is the only reason for the failed test, then there should be a way to resolve the problem without the stigma. Of course it's similar to requiring an 18 year old to register as a sex offender for sex with a 17 year old girlfriend when they could have gotten married without parental consent.
 
Marshall said:
This is a story of extremism. If the doctor recommended treatment is the only reason for the failed test, then there should be a way to resolve the problem without the stigma. Of course it's similar to requiring an 18 year old to register as a sex offender for sex with a 17 year old girlfriend when they could have gotten married without parental consent.
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There is a process for getting league approval which he apparently failed to follow.
 
infantrycak said:
There is a process for getting league approval which he apparently failed to follow.
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I understand that IF he were still on a team and/or contemplating his return to the NFL. But this is a special case compounded by medical misinformation or unusual retention of the drug in the system for a significantly longer time than anticipated. Of course all this is based on the assumption the players statement is entirely accurate and I do.

Low T is not as uncommon as some might think so the lab results should be sufficient to appeal if it were possible. It appears the NFL doesn't care and is all in with ignoring any reason for deviant results in it's own tests. I object to mingling no tolerance with no intelligence which is becoming common these days.

ps I also have a problem with banning a drug for use by a physician just because it is abused on the street and you play for the NFL. Tests should be a tool and not the judge.
 
Marshall said:
I understand that IF he were still on a team and/or contemplating his return to the NFL.
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Nah, all he had to do, and the players know this, is put his retirement papers in. Then he's outside the testing. Instead he kept his options open and in fact jumped back when given a chance. It's on him.

ps I also have a problem with banning a drug for use by a physician just because it is abused on the street and you play for the NFL. Tests should be a tool and not the judge.
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It's not banned. You just have to go through the process.

And let's be honest here, there are disreputable docs out there as well. The NFL has to keep a tight judgment on whether exceptions are really needed or every player in the NFL will have medical use marijuana, adderal, hGh and testosterone scripts.
 
infantrycak said:
Nah, all he had to do, and the players know this, is put his retirement papers in. Then he's outside the testing. Instead he kept his options open and in fact jumped back when given a chance. It's on him.



It's not banned. You just have to go through the process.

And let's be honest here, there are disreputable docs out there as well. The NFL has to keep a tight judgment on whether exceptions are really needed or every player in the NFL will have medical use marijuana, adderal, hGh and testosterone scripts.
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Fair points. And I didn't even choke while agreeing with you.
 
Rams RB Trey Watts suspended indefinitely for substance abuse
1h - NFL St. Louis Rams
  • Nick Wagoner, ESPN Staff Writer

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Four weeks after returning from a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on substance abuse, St. Louis Rams running back Trey Watts has been suspended indefinitely for breaking the same rule.

Watts' suspension is without pay and effective immediately. He was originally suspended for the first four games of the season on May 29.

Watts returned to the active roster during the team's Week 6 bye

"It's really unfortunate for Trey," Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. "We have a program, and the players have to comply with the program. Trey had an issue that cost him the first four games of the regular season, and then when Trey came back, Trey was good. The setback was something that took place before he was suspended. So it ends up being another positive, and the league requires him to sit. So unfortunately we'll lose him for the remainder of the season."
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These days, getting suspended under the substance abuse policy is about as boneheaded of a move as a player on the roster bubble like Watts can possibly make. The marijuana threshold was reduced last year to make it easier for players to have the drug in their system without testing positive, and a player can test positive for marijuana three times before ever being suspended. In addition, amphetamines such as MDMA (also known as Molly) are handled with the same type of procedure, with players being allowed to test positive three times before a suspension occurs.
 
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