The NFL says Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman has tested positive for a substance banned under its performance-enhancing drug policy. Meanwhile, no one is exactly sure what he tested positive for. Edelman’s result was triggered by a substance that was not immediately recognizable, Albert Breer of The MMQB hears. 
Breer hears there are “scientists analyzing” the positive test. Presumably, those scientists are employed by Edelman’s camp as he mounts an appeal against a four-game suspension.
As Breer notes, it’s safe to assume that Edelman did not test positive for any sort of stimulant. The test in question was conducted in the offseason, following a year spent on injured reserve. Had Edelman tested positive for Adderall, he would have been suspended under the league’s substances of abuse policy – popping positive for Adderall merits a PED suspension during the season, but is classified as an abuse policy violation in the offseason.
Per league rules, Edelman’s case will be heard by a neutral arbitrator. If his ban stands, he’ll miss the first four games of the year against the Texans, Jaguars, Lions, and Dolphins.
Super Soldier Serum? Progenitor? Perhaps some sinister new product engineered by Alex Guerrero and the twisted geniuses at TB12 labs overseen by Tom Brady? I am anxious to hear what exactly this turns out to be.
Seriously, tho- if the league was not certain what this substance was how can they call it banned? Unless they site anything they don’t recognize as banned and I’d love to know where that is spelled out in the CBA. But, my best guess would be it *IS* a banned substance but a variety they have never seen before and therefore they cannot properly site it.
Either way, the NFL continues to find new and interesting ways to screw up. And it would seem the Patriots have found new ways of cheating that not even conventional science have yet discovered.
I love this sport!
As far as I am concerned with any sports athlete and billions of dollars in those industries. I bet the NATURAL gifted ones are in the way minority and god knows if I had any talent to come close to competing for a pay check, I would do anything humanly possible to get an advantage, if i thought I could get away with it! By the way set my family up financial for generations.
It is difficult to say what natural talent is. Today the American athlete is unlike anything the world has seen before. The food is plentiful and genetically fortified and that enhances those who eat it. Fluorescent lighting is everywhere, which enhances the growth. Environments now mentally condition them to see what was once a game as a religion, breeding fanatics rather than sportsmen. To add the financial incentive is almost overkill, as you said, set up my family for generations financially.
Are these natural athletes? Or the byproduct of a bizarre concoction of modern science and basic urges of greed and hostility? Which now create a dangerous generation of advanced physical marvels but with simple minds focused only on the material.
We know what we are, but not what we may be…
Just because the league hasn’t publicized the substance doesn’t mean that they don’t know what it is. They never do that. Players and teams leak the info.