NFL Still Plans To Move Forward & Interview Players Named In Al-Jazeera Report

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the NFL confirmed receipt of written statements by Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers, James Harrison and Mike Neal.

According to Schefter, the NFL rejected the NFL Players Association’s stance that the affidavits constitute reasonable cooperation by the players named in the Al-Jazeera report. Beyond that, the NFL says that the players named are required to participate in in-person interviews.

The NFL believes both sides owe it to the fans for “to protect the fairness and integrity of the competition on the field and we owe it to the players, clubs and fans to fully address any claims of this nature.”

Schefter adds that the NFL has told the NFLPA that they plan to move forward to resolve the allegations and will begin by interviewing Neal, who is currently a free agent.

The NFLPA previously released a statement saying that the NFL shouldn’t be allowed to interview anyone without new evidence.

“The NFL has chosen to initiate an investigation of these players based upon now-recanted statements that appeared in an Al Jazeera report. The NFLPA requested from the NFL any additional evidence supporting an investigation of the players; the NFL did not provide any such evidence, nor did they inform the NFLPA or the players that any such evidence exists. Instead, the NFL has decided to publicly pressure the players into submission. We will continue to advise our players about their rights and hold the NFL accountable.”

The allegations stem from comments made by former anti-aging clinic intern Charlie Sly, who was taped in the Al-Jazeera documentary. It’s worth mentioning that Sly has since recanted his quotes.

We’ll have more regarding the PED allegations as the news is available.