Gerald McCoy is already out for the 2021 campaign, but that didn’t stop the NFL from handing him a suspension. The Raiders defensive tackle was slapped with a six-game ban today, reports ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez (via Twitter).
McCoy was banned for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. He’ll begin serving the suspension immediately.
“I love the game of football and have nothing but respect for the players, fans, and this league,” McCoy said in a statement (via Twitter). “I’ve given my all to this game and worked my entire career to compete, train, and rehabilitate at a high level with integrity. It is with great disappointment that I recently learned I tested positive for a banned substance – something I was prescribed to take to help with scar tissue and tendon strength from a previous injury. In no way would I ever intentionally take anything to help with performance or gain a competitive advantage. This was an honest mistake, but it’s something I take full responsibility for. I apologize to my family, the NFL, my teammates, and the fans and ask humbly for your forgiveness.”
McCoy was already sidelined for the entire 2021 campaign after suffering a season-ending injury during Week 1. However, it sounds like McCoy was punished for using a substance that helped him rehabilitate a previous injury…perhaps the torn quad that prevented him from taking the field for the Cowboys in 2020.
McCoy earned six Pro Bowl nods with the Buccaneers and performed as one of the NFL’s best defensive lineman in the 2010s. He spent 2019 with the Panthers, appeared in all 16 games, and registered five sacks, giving him 59.5 for his career.
He’s out for the season, but now he’s DOUBLE out for six games…
“As of now, they’re on double secret probation!” – Dean Vernon Wormer
Originally he was to be paid for the season. Now he is losing pay for six games. And this will count as a PED infraction.
Whatever that is.
Interesting that it’s framed as helping him recuperate from injury – makes you wonder why he wouldn’t get such a thing from a doctor? Seems to be in their wheelhouse.
He said in his statement it was prescribed to him, so it sounds like he did get it from a doctor.
He literally said it’s prescribed from a doctor
It’s believable if he got it from a doctor outside of the NFL and the doctor isn’t aware of what is on the banned list
It’s not the doctors job to understand the banned substance list it’s solely and completely the player’s responsibility. Not only that, but the team would absolutely ensure it wasn’t a banned substance. If he wasn’t aware, why wasn’t the team aware of the prescription? Y’all are always so quick to jump on the players side in these situations. They know what they are doing. They know it’s a banned substance. It’s not a secret.
Possibly because he got injured last year and then immediately cut. He wasn’t able to get help from a team.
I don’t think this is the reason why we have PED tests…., but I also understand the other side of the coin
Have you seen the NFL’s banned substance list? It’s about 300 substances long. Unless you have strong medical knowledge you’re not going to understand. It’s possible a doctor could have missed it. They’re job is to make you better, not research the league’s substance policy.
It sounds like an honest mistake. It cost him some money and he’s owning it. That’s the story. OP posted it’s being “framed” as if something nefarious was afoot, which is where I side with the player here.
Even if he wasn’t on a team there is a hotline he can call tell them what the script is and they will inform him. If he was too lazy to make the call he deserves it. If he did make the call and the NFL screwed up he wouldn’t be suspended. He could very well be totally innocent or thought maybe he could pull the my Doc prescribed it BS. At least he is taking some responsibility for it. Even though most is put on Dr.
So our constitution guarantees life liberty and the pursuit happiness, but the NFL is able to ban a medication for healing prescribed by a physician.
The constitution does not ban an employer from imposing certain restrictions on employees.
If you have a job it could have a ban on pot use. It could be Dr prescribed but you can still be fired for using it. The Constitution gives the right for the pursuit but doesn’t guarantee happiness. Sorry Bud but your example is DOA. Has no bearing in this case.
Yeah, my job doesn’t let me drink. Infringes a lot on my happiness, but what’s a pilot to do?