Patriots safety Rodney Harrison has been suspended four games after he admitted to federal investigators that he obtained human growth hormone, ESPN's Chris Mortensen is reporting:The admission by Harrison has never been made public but his name was among those known to federal and New York state investigators that conducted a two-year investigation into an Internet pharmaceutical distribution ring for steroids and other performance enhancers such as HGH.
Investigators have discovered several athletes across many sports whose names were linked in the probe. Sources say at least one NFL assistant also has been questioned.
This news is a surprise, to say the least. Although Harrison has often been accused of taking cheap shots on the field, he generally has a solid reputation as far as his off-field conduct is concerned. Harrison is a smart player who has expressed an interest in becoming an NFL referee some day. But this will seriously damage his reputation, and it will also lead to more calls for the NFL to find a way to test its players for HGH. Although the NFL currently subjects all players to random testing for steroids, the league and the players' union say no reliable test for HGH is available.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. Now maybe they'll get on the footbal players instead of just the baseball players - for some reason no one seems to get upset with what football players do - no wonder so many are getting so huge
Posted at 9:06PM on Aug 31st 2007 by CC
2. Hello NE sports fans. Now you have something in common with San Fran fans. Now we'll see if you want to talk about a ban or an asterisk next to one of your players names.
Have fun....hahahahahaha
Posted at 11:18PM on Aug 31st 2007 by Larry
3. "Now maybe they'll get on the footbal players instead of just the baseball players - for some reason no one seems to get upset with what football players do - no wonder so many are getting so huge"
The NFL's system of testing for anabolic steroids and other performance enhancers has been vastly superior to that of MLB's over the past twenty years. There is no test for HGH so both leagues are pretty much in the dark. The controversy in baseball is 95% related to PED's not called Human Growth Hormones.
Posted at 11:22PM on Aug 31st 2007 by Unsilent Majority
4. I have no clue why this baseball fans are so happy about if any of them ever read the sports news they would know football players have been getting suspended for a few games up to a whole season for drug use and using banned substance the NFL as been doing this for years now . so what up !!
Posted at 12:16AM on Sep 1st 2007 by Donald Santos
5. I'm just wondering if the problems with atheles and steroids use started at the 1988 Summer Olympics with the Ben Johnson scandal when he was stripped of his gold medal when he defeated Carl Lewis in the 100 yard dash?
Posted at 1:58AM on Sep 1st 2007 by George B Vieto
6. The NFL has a problem.
Rodney Harrison admits to it. Panthers from the team that went to the SB got busted for it. The Steelers team doc ordered $150,000 worth (street value of $750,000 to 1 million) of HGH and testosterone on his personal credit card and then claims it is for his elderly patients. Uh huh.
Tim Couch admits to HGH (and is alleged to have done steroids) but passes a drug test with the Jags. There are clearly problems with the drug policy--in season testing doesn't bust all the bad peoples.
The league is in denial and has been for a long time. When SB players admit to HGH use, then this is the time to test for HGH. There is a blood test out there, but the sports leagues are trying to avoid that by funding research into finding an effective urine test.
They don't really want to deal with the problem that is clearly out there. You know that for everytime someone gets caught, there's many more that do not. Not surprising that a lot of the people getting busted are through investigations and not testing.
Posted at 11:01AM on Sep 1st 2007 by Stephanie Stradley
7. First off, I would like to once again say that all of you so called Bonds supporters sound really stupid when you acknowledge his guilt in something that was merely speculated only to back him up in the next breath. And I think that it's really sad that all of these athletes that we all envy and look up to - especially myself being a semi-pro cornerback, take steroids and HGH. it is sad
Posted at 5:55PM on Sep 1st 2007 by Jokatech
8. finnally a player that has the balls to say yes i did it. hgh is not tested for in nfl but for a player to say yes i did and the reason for doing it.rodney had to do hgh do to his age and the fact he got cheap shotted buy some moron in tennesse that didnt even get a penalty for it. rodney unlike bonds you have balls
Posted at 6:58PM on Sep 1st 2007 by rick