NFL to interview Matthew, Peppers, Harrison in PEDs probe

The NFL will interview Clay Matthews next month about an Al-Jazeera report that linked Matthews and others to performance enhancing drugs.

On Friday afternoon, USA Today reported that four of the players – Packers linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers, Steelers linebacker James Harrison, and former Packers linebacker Mike Neal – will be interviewed about the allegations in the coming weeks. The Packers open camp July 26, and the Steelers begin training camp July 29. The letter from Birch also states defensive lineman Mike Neal, who is now a free agent after being released from the Packers, will be interviewed also.

Retired quarterback Peyton Manning, the highest-profile athlete named in the documentary, was not mentioned in Birch’s letter, but USA Today Sports’s Tom Pelissero reports that the league’s investigation of Manning is progressing.

The NFL is reportedly set to ramp up its investigation of the allegations levied against several players in the recent Al-Jazeera America PED report. Charlie Sly, a former intern at The Guyer Institute in IN, connected Matthews and others to PEDs but has since retracted his allegations.

NFL senior vice president of labor policy and government affairs Adolpho Birch has informed the NFL Players Association that the league will meet with the three players at the start of training camp.

The letter went on to mention that no player has been interviewed yet even though the investigation has proceeded. Sly has since recanted. After the report came out, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced that the league would launch an investigation into its veracity. “This continuing delay and avoidance has obstructed our ability to conduct and conclude the investigation”.

The NFL has notified the NFLPA that it will continue its investigation and interview the players named in the report.

“The NFLPA represents its players in conjunction with any investigation by their employer”, the union said in a statement. According to USA Today’s Tom Pelissero, the National Football League hasn’t forgotten, and it has informed the NFLPA that it plans interview four of the players named in the report. “The players will be advised of the specific scheduling details by separate correspondence on which the NFLPA will be copied, and of course an NFLPA representative may attend each interview should the player so request”.

Defense attorney Bob Hinton’s text indicated Manziel’s legal team was seeking a plea deal with prosecutors, but suggested that could be tricky. A manager at a Gas Pipe location not far from where Manziel’s crash was reported declined to discuss whether he bought anything there. Jail records didn’t list an attorney.

Jackson is now a free agent.