NFL clears Peyton Manning of alleged receipt of HGH
The NFL issued a statement clearing Peyton Manning of any wrongdoing in the investigation of a an Al-Jazeera America report that the retired quarterback’s wife had received a shipment of HGH in 2011.
The NFL was quick to point out that Manning cooperated fully in the investigation, gave an interview with the NFL and opened his records so that investigators could determine whether he had violated the NFL policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
It also said that the investigation was continuing with other players who were named in the Al-Jazeera report, which means that the case has not been closed on Packers linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers.
CONCUSSION POLICY
The NFL and the players association have announced a new policy regarding game-day concussion protocol and discipline for clubs that violate the procedure.
Under the new policy jointly announced Monday, the NFL and NFLPA “will follow a strict and fair process to investigate incidents and determine appropriate discipline, including club fines and possible forfeiture of draft picks.”
The league and the players union will each designate a representative to monitor the implementation of the protocol and investigate potential violations. The probe won’t reach medical conclusions; it will only determine if the protocol was followed. An arbitrator will handle cases where the league and union disagree and report to the commissioner.
Commissioner Roger Goodell retains sole discretion in determining penalties for violations of the game-day concussion protocol.
PRESSURE HITS
IRVING, Texas — It wasn’t until this past offseason that Sarah Thomas, the first woman to be a fulltime NFL game official, pondered what really happened after accomplishing her goal, which was to work full-time at football’s highest level and not necessarily being a trailblazer in doing so.
“When I first started all this last year, I said I don’t feel the pressure of it or anything like that, and I don’t feel as if I did during the season,” she said. “But once I reflected back, I knew that there was a lot of pressure . ... When I reflected back on it, I thought if something major had happened with being a first, not that I recognize myself as that, but just being a first, that it could have gone one of two ways. So I’m glad that it was a very smooth, under-the-radar, first year.”
Thomas is now preparing for her second season as a side judge. While still the only woman on the field in the NFL, she considers it a compliment that there is much less fanfare this time around.
GORDON REINSTATED
Suspended Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has been granted conditional reinstatement in the NFL by Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Gordon was indefinitely suspended in February 2015 after multiple violations of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. He originally was supposed to be allowed to apply for reinstatement in April of this year, but the NFL denied his request after reports surfaced that he had failed another drug test.