NFL has no idea what drug Patriots star Edelman took - report

By Ross Kelly June 11, 2018 at 1:15pm

Patriots Nation was rocked last week with the news that wide receiver Julian Edelman was facing a suspension after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

Now more details are coming in, but not all of the details, such as the exact drug that triggered a positive test.

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported that Edelman’s positive test was triggered by a substance that wasn’t immediately recognized.

“I was told Edelman’s result was triggered by a substance that wasn’t immediately recognizable, and there are scientists analyzing it,” Breer reported.

The NFL might also still be analyzing the sample, though that information hasn’t been confirmed.

Since this has been a question … I never said the league is still analyzing it. The player's side has scientists looking at it. NFL may too, that part is less clear. https://t.co/z6turOCJNX

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) June 11, 2018

According to NBC Sports, it’s not unprecedented for drug testers to need additional time to analyze a substance. In 2003, for example, four Raiders tested positive for tetrahydrogestrinone, which wasn’t initially detectable in urine tests.

“It was only after the lengthy Balco investigation that drug testers re-tested stored urine samples and detected the substance,” NBC reported.

In regard to Edelman, it’s important to note that he violated the performance-enhancing drug policy and not the substance abuse policy.

Do you think Julian Edelman deserves to be suspended?

That rules out Adderall or other stimulants as the possible substance, as those fall under the “substance abuse” umbrella, at least during the offseason.

When news of Edelman’s suspension first broke, he apologized but also admitted that he didn’t know what happened or why a positive test was triggered.

Former Patriots linebacker Matt Chatham went a step further and called out the NFL for suspending Edelman without knowing what they are suspending him for.

Seems super weak for an NFL player to get suspended for an “unrecognizable” substance. I mean, isn’t ‘recognizing’ what substance testing is?—feel like that would be important. If the unrecognizable part means mo’ testing to figure it out, fine. But suspend before ya know…dumb.

— Matt Chatham (@chatham58) June 11, 2018

As it stands, New England will likely be without their No. 1 receiver for the first four games of the 2018 season.

Edelman missed all of last year with a torn ACL suffered during the preseason, but averaged 89 receptions and 957 receiving yards over the previous four seasons.

Not only will New England have to fill Edelman’s void for four games, but they will also have to replace Brandin Cooks, Danny Amendola and Dion Lewis, all of whom departed the team this offseason.

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