Facing a 10-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drugs policy, Lane Johnson says the banned substance that caused it was approved by the NFLPA.
The Philadelphia Eagles right tackle told reporters that he “did everything he could to avoid taking [the] illegal supplement,” writes Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ Advanced Media, and “says he had NFLPA, team look at” the product before he took it.
Johnson also said he “fully expects to be suspended,” per Dave Zangaro of CSN Philly, and said the “NFLPA doesn’t have players’ backs.”
Zach Berman of the Philadephia Inquirer added Johnson “feels let down by the NFLPA.”
It’s an impassioned plea but one that’s hard to take seriously. After all, this isn’t the first time Johnson has been suspended for PEDs. He was banned four games back in 2014.
He also isn’t going to make any friends in the union talking like this.
The Eagles are preparing for the 10-game suspension, not having a ton of hope his appeal will be won.
“I have to anticipate there’s a chance [Johnson will be suspended],” head coach Doug Pederson said, according to The Associated Press. “It’s smart on my part to have a Plan B.”
With Johnson out of the picture, the Eagles are going to have a tough task replacing him. Behind him on the depth chart is veteran Dennis Kelly, who has started 15 games since 2012.