NFL to interview Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers, James Harrison in PED probe
Remember that Al-Jazeera America report last winter that attempted to tie Peyton Manning and several other NFL players to PED use?
Well, the network went off the air in April, and Manning is now retired from the NFL, but there were some pretty big names mentioned alongside him and they’ll have to talk to NFL investigators about the report when they show up for the first day of training camp.
According to USA Today, which -- along with The Associated Press -- on Friday obtained a letter from the league’s senior VP of labor policy and legal affairs to the NFLPA’s legal counsel, Green Bay Packers linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison will all be scheduled for interviews. The other player named in the report, free-agent former Packers linebacker Mike Neal, will be interviewed on or before July 22.
USA Today, citing an unnamed source, reported that an investigation into Manning's possible involvement also is progressing.
The full letter is printed by USA Today, but the bottom line is the NFLPA has been intervening on behalf of these players to keep them from having to answer for every wild allegation that’s made – especially allegations that have since been retracted. The NFL, though, does have the ability to discipline players based on evidence other than a positive drug test, so it apparently sees every reason to push forward with an investigation of its own.
The NFLPA issued a statement reponding to the letter:
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Julius Peppers
