The NFL Players Association released a statement this morning noting that Manning is no longer a member of the union and therefore isn’t part of the union’s effort to fight the NFL over this investigation.
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The NFL announced on Monday that they found “no credible evidence” that Peyton Manning used human-growth hormone (HGH) or any other performance-enhancing drugs.
The NFL said it interviewed Manning and his wife, who were “fully cooperative with the investigation”.
“As a former player, Peyton Manning is free to do whatever he believes is in his best interest”.
Manning angrily denounced the report, calling it “completely fabricated, complete trash, garbage,” and insisting he never took shortcuts in his return to football after missing 2011 with neck problems.
The allegations first surfaced during the NFL’s 2015 post-season when Manning led the Denver Broncos to Super Bowl victory over the Carolina Panthers in San Francisco in his 18th campaign as a professional.
Al Jazeera cited an intern with the anti-aging clinic as its source.
“Separately, the NFL’s investigation continues into the documentary’s allegations made against other NFL players, which involve different lines of inquiry and witnesses”, the league said.
Those players recently submitted sworn affidavits to the NFL.
The investigation, which was carried out by the league’s security and legal teams, began back in January and looked at whether named players used banned substances.
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While the league cleared Manning, it is continuing to investigate allegations of PED use by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison, Green Bay Packers linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers. Failure to participate in interviews with the league would be considered as part of the evaluation process for potential discipline.
