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The NFL told teams in a memo Friday that blood testing for human growth hormone, which was conditionally part of the new collective bargaining agreement completed last month, would not begin with the start of the regular season next week. The league said the players union had concerns about the validity of the tests used by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Until an agreement is reached on growth hormone testing, the NFL will use the performance-enhancing-drug policy from 2010 -- which does not allow drug suspensions to be appealed to an independent third party, a right the players won in the new labor deal.
The league and the union committed to include testing for growth hormone, pending the completion of details of the testing, on Aug. 4. At the time, there was broad optimism from both sides that there would be little trouble completing the agreement in time to allow testing -- including, the league said, game-day testing -- for the season openers next week. But since then, the union has dug in, saying that WADA has failed to provide information it has requested about the efficacy and accuracy of the tests.
In a letter from commissioner Roger Goodell to the union's executive director, DeMaurice Smith, sent Aug. 30 and obtained by the New York Times, Goodell expressed confidence in the WADA procedures.
"Based on the data shared with us by WADA last week, while there have been thousands of tests for HGH, there has never been a false
positive," Goodell wrote to Smith.
Colts: Disgraced former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel was hired by Indianapolis as a game-day consultant to help determine when the team should challenge plays.
Browns: Tight end Evan Moore signed a two-year contract extension with Cleveland, which is expecting big things from the 6-foot-6 Stanford product. A person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press that Moore's extension is worth nearly $3 million per year and carries through the 2013 season.
Redskins: The NFL said Washington cornerback Phillip Buchanon's four-game suspension is for a violation of the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Buchanon, who played from 2002 through 2004 with the Raiders, begins his suspension Saturday and will be eligible to return to the active roster on Oct. 3.
Drug suspensions: Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams and three others have been suspended for the first two games of the regular season for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances, ending a three-year court fight.
Also suspended were New Orleans defensive end Will Smith and two players currently without teams: Pat Williams and Charles Grant.
Bears: Unhappy with his contract, Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs told the Chicago Tribune he is seeking permission to look for a trade. "The Bears made their decision, now I have to make mine," he told the newspaper.
Packers: Green Bay Packers agreed to a contract extension with starting right guard Josh Sitton that will keep him with the team through 2016. Terms were not disclosed.
Eagles: Quarterback Vince Young has a hamstring strain and is considered day to day. Young was injured in Thursday's 24-14 win over the New York Jets.
Until an agreement is reached on growth hormone testing, the NFL will use the performance-enhancing-drug policy from 2010 -- which does not allow drug suspensions to be appealed to an independent third party, a right the players won in the new labor deal.
The league and the union committed to include testing for growth hormone, pending the completion of details of the testing, on Aug. 4. At the time, there was broad optimism from both sides that there would be little trouble completing the agreement in time to allow testing -- including, the league said, game-day testing -- for the season openers next week. But since then, the union has dug in, saying that WADA has failed to provide information it has requested about the efficacy and accuracy of the tests.
In a letter from commissioner Roger Goodell to the union's executive director, DeMaurice Smith, sent Aug. 30 and obtained by the New York Times, Goodell expressed confidence in the WADA procedures.
"Based on the data shared with us by WADA last week, while there have been thousands of tests for HGH, there has never been a false
positive," Goodell wrote to Smith.
Colts: Disgraced former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel was hired by Indianapolis as a game-day consultant to help determine when the team should challenge plays.
Browns: Tight end Evan Moore signed a two-year contract extension with Cleveland, which is expecting big things from the 6-foot-6 Stanford product. A person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press that Moore's extension is worth nearly $3 million per year and carries through the 2013 season.
Redskins: The NFL said Washington cornerback Phillip Buchanon's four-game suspension is for a violation of the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Buchanon, who played from 2002 through 2004 with the Raiders, begins his suspension Saturday and will be eligible to return to the active roster on Oct. 3.
Drug suspensions: Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams and three others have been suspended for the first two games of the regular season for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances, ending a three-year court fight.
Also suspended were New Orleans defensive end Will Smith and two players currently without teams: Pat Williams and Charles Grant.
Bears: Unhappy with his contract, Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs told the Chicago Tribune he is seeking permission to look for a trade. "The Bears made their decision, now I have to make mine," he told the newspaper.
Packers: Green Bay Packers agreed to a contract extension with starting right guard Josh Sitton that will keep him with the team through 2016. Terms were not disclosed.
Eagles: Quarterback Vince Young has a hamstring strain and is considered day to day. Young was injured in Thursday's 24-14 win over the New York Jets.