Report: NFL denies players' requests to be excused from PED interviews
The NFL's investigation into an Al Jazeera America report claiming PED use by several of the league's prominent players will continue as planned.
The league has rejected the NFLPA's view that affidavits filed by those players constitute as reasonable cooperation for the investigation and confirmed all players will take part in interviews, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.
Green Bay Packers linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers, free agent Mike Neal, and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison are the players in question.
According to Schefter:
The PED policy reflects the NFL and NFLPA's shared commitment to protect the fairness and integrity of the competition on the field, and the league believes it owes it to the players, clubs, and fans to fully address any claims of this nature.
Neal will be the first player interviewed followed by the other three players at their respective training camps.
The Players' Association filed the affidavits on behalf of the four players, demanding "credible evidence" linking players to PED use.
Peyton Manning was also named in the report and has agreed to cooperate despite being retired.