If the Packers wind up missing linebackers Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews this season, quarterback Aaron Rodgers says part of the blame will be on National Football League players as a whole.
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The NFL first notified the quartet on January 11 about the investigation into a television report by Al-Jazeera featuring allegations made by Charlie Sly, who worked as an intern at an anti-aging clinic, about the use of banned performance-enhancing drugs by several athletes including the four linebackers.
NFL Players Association attorney Heather McPhee sent a letter to the NFL on Thursday, accusing it of trying to “bully and publicly shame” Harrison without offering evidence beyond a brief mention in television interview a year ago that was recanted by the accuser.
This news comes on the heels of the NFL threatening to suspend the four players if they failed to comply with the league’s interview requests by August 25.
ESPN also reported that Harrison will meet with the league on August 30 at 5 p.m.at the Steelers’ team facility. Harrison demanded the interview take place in his home. “That was something we should have had negotiated into the BA, because there shouldn’t be somebody who is the judge, jury and executioner, as they say”.
While Manning got most of the attention in the report, a few of the most prominent defensive players in the National Football League were also named. Just 48 hours ago, Harrison claimed he was willing to sit out the entire 2016 season if the National Football League did not meet his demands for his interview. Any suspension will remain in effect until the player meets with league investigators and then Commissioner Roger Goodell will decide whether to lift any disciplinary action. The individual who originally named Harrison as one of the players has since recanted what he said and the network actually no exits. Harrison has stipulated he will only answer questions related to the report.
Birch in his letter to the union said that the league had made “at least seven attempts” to set up interview times with the four players, only to be continually rebuffed by their “refusal to participate”.
Harrison, Matthews and Peppers have been picked for the Pro Bowl a combined 20 times.
Affidavits were sent by the NFLPA on behalf of the players to substitute for the interviews, but Birch dismissed them as inadequate.
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Retired quarterback Peyton Manning was also cited in Al-Jazeera’s doping report in December. “That’s just the collective bargaining agreement that the players signed”.
