Those who were hoping they’d wake up to find a new league drug policy will be a bit disappointed this morning. There were indications yesterday that a deal was imminent, and that still appears to be the case. However, the two sides said this morning that there were still some issues to be resolved.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com that a policy is “not done” and that there was still “some work to do.”
Meanwhile, the NFLPA released an official statement:
“The Board of Player Representatives gave the NFLPA authority to complete new drug policies with the League consistent with detailed term sheets the players reviewed. We hope to have final agreements, including effective date for players with adjusted discipline, very soon.”
While the agreement has not been finalized, some details have been reported. Let’s take a look at the latest news…
- USA Today’s Tom Pelissero tweets details regarding discipline for marijuana use: an initial positive test would result in a two-game fine and a second positive would earn the player a four-game fine. Subsequent positive tests would be punished by a four-game ban, a ten-game ban and a one-year ban.
- The penalties for using other “drugs of abuse” will be more strict than the marijuana penalties, tweets Pelissero. A first test would lead to a four-game fine, followed by a four-game ban and then a one-year ban. The writer notes that some players argued against these punishments.
- A first offense for a DUI conviction will be punishable by at least a two-game ban (via Pelissero’s Twitter). The commissioner has the right to increase the suspension based on “aggravating circumstances.”
- Pelissero also tweets that the two sides are hoping to begin HGH testing within the next two weeks. There would be varying punishments for a first offense, followed by a 10-game ban and a two-year ban.
- Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets that not all players were in favor of reducing Josh Gordon‘s suspension. In a subsequent tweet, Cole adds that players who don’t use recreational drugs aren’t necessarily in favor of easing the penalties.