Documents say drugs misused
Team and league medical personnel plied players with powerful painkillers for years, often in apparent violation of federal drug laws, according to documents unsealed in a lawsuit by 1,800 former NFL players.
The lawsuit being heard by U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup in San Francisco has been moving through the courts for more than two years.
The Washington Post obtained the documents before they were unsealed and reported:
The average NFL team distributed nearly 8,000 powerful doses of prescription-strength non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and controlled medications in a single season, according to a 2013 league memo.
Club and league officials acknowledged at various times they weren’t always in compliance with federal regulations that govern controlled substances, particularly in areas of distribution, record-keeping and transport, according to the players’ complaint.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in an email to Post that the “clubs and their medical staffs are all in compliance with the Controlled Substances Act . ... Any claim or suggestion to the contrary is simply wrong.”
Yet several of the documents appear to contradict the league’s statement.
“Can you have your office fax a copy of your DEA certificate to me?” Paul Sparling, the Cincinnati Bengals’ head trainer wrote in a 2009 email. “I need it for my records when the NFL ‘pill counters’ come to see if we are doing things right. Don’t worry, I’m pretty good at keeping them off the trail!”
Free agency, day two: On the second day of the league’s business year, Cleveland released quarterback Robert Griffin III, Washington’s Kirk Cousins reportedly signed a $24 million contract as the team’s exclusive franchise-tag player, and Julius Peppers returned to Carolina.
The Browns terminated the contract of the injury-prone Griffin one day before he was due a $750,000 roster bonus. The former Washington quarterback spent one flawed season with Cleveland.
Washington did not confirm Cousins’ signing, but the quarterback’s agent said the deal had been completed.
Peppers was the Panthers’ top pick in the 2002 draft and is their all-time sacks leader. The 37-year-old has 143½ sacks during 15 NFL seasons, including 7½ last year in his third and last season with Green Bay. With Peppers on board, Carolina dealt defensive end Kony Ealy to New England.
Carolina is bringing back another former Panther, too: cornerback Captain Munnerlyn. In other developments: ESPN reported that New England has agreed to trade its first-round draft choice this year, No. 32 overall, to New Orleans in exchange for receiver Brandin Cooks.
The Chargers landed Russell Okung, the most prominent free-agent left tackle still on the market. The Chargers announced a four-year deal for Okung, who spent last season with the Denver Broncos after playing his first six in Seattle.
Green Bay signed tight end Martellus Bennett, who had 55 receptions for 701 yards and seven touchdowns last season for New England.
Chicago finalized its threeyear deal with Mike Glennon, the former Tampa Bay quarterback.
Washington signed wide receiver Terrelle Pryor, the former Raiders quarterback, to a one-year contract worth up to $8 million as it tries to replace free-agent losses DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon.