The NFL on Wednesday cleared three high-profile players identified in an Al Jazeera documentary earlier this year as having been provided with or used prohibited substances.
Steelers linebacker James Harrison and Packers linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers participated last week in the NFL’s investigation into the recanted allegations by a former pharmacy employee who was being secretly videotaped.
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MLB reached the same conclusion regarding players Ryan Howard and Ryan Zimmerman, who also were mentioned in the documentary.
Whether the three players would cooperate in the NFL's investigation became a point of contention between the league and the players union, which had said all along that there was no credible evidence implicating the three.
And, in fact, following what it called a comprehensive investigation, the NFL "found no credible evidence" that the three were involved in any way with performance-enhancing substances according to the NFL-NFLPA drug policy.
All three had maintained their innocence, as did retired Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, who also was named in the documentary. Because he is retired, he wasn’t required to speak to the NFL.
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Free agent linebacker Mike Neal, who was also named in the report, is still under review.
To read the NFL’s release, click here.
