Player Who Claimed NFL Was Targeting Him Over Protests Reportedly Lied
The NFL and its players union hit back at claims that Carolina Panthers safety Eric Reid was unfairly targeted by the league’s drug testing system.
Reid complained that he had been required to take more tests than others as a possible retaliation from the league over his collusion grievance against the NFL.
After a mid-December loss, Reid said he had been selected for testing for the seventh time this season after joining the Panthers in late September.
Number 7… ”Random” pic.twitter.com/6HkxXCZhQP
— Eric Reid (@E_Reid35) December 18, 2018
It appears as though Reid wasn’t telling the truth.
The league and the NFL Players Association looked into the matter and said his claim about seven tests was inaccurate, according to The Washington Post and NBC Sports.
According to one source familiar with the report delivered to the NFL and NFLPA on Eric Reid’s drug testing, that report says that Reid was not tested as many times as Reid asserted publicly.
— MarkMaske (@MarkMaske) January 9, 2019
The joint investigation also concluded that Reid wasn’t unfairly targeted by the drug testing system.
The NFL and NFLPA released a joint statement on the matter.
“We take any claim questioning the integrity of our collectively bargained performance enhancing drug policy seriously,” the statement read. “We asked the independent administrator of the policy to review and produce a report on the claims of targeting. A copy of this report, which contains personal and confidential testing information, has been provided to Eric Reid.
“We will not breach any player’s confidentiality, but can confirm that the report documents the dates he was randomly selected for testing and the actual dates of the drug tests. The report also demonstrates that Mr. Reid’s tests were randomly generated via computer algorithm and that his selection for testing was normal when compared with the number of tests players were randomly selected for throughout the league during the time that he was on an active roster.
“There is no evidence of targeting or any other impropriety with respect to his selection for testing.”
After Reid complained about his supposed seventh test, his coach and teammates indicated they were suspicious that he was being unfairly targeted.
“I guess there was something about some mathematician saying it’s highly improbable, but definitely possible,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. “But I’ll say this: If my name came up that many times, I’d buy a lottery ticket.”
“It’s very excessive,” Carolina wide receiver Torrey Smith said. “I don’t think there’s any secret about it that something is wrong with that.”
While the NFLPA rejected Reid’s claim of being unfairly targeted, it is assisting him in his collusion grievance against the league.
In May 2018, the union filed a grievance on Reid’s behalf that alleged that NFL owners colluded to prevent his employment due to his national anthem demonstrations. He was the first to join Colin Kaepernick, then his San Francisco 49ers teammate, in taking a knee during the anthem in 2016, and he continued to protest through the 2017 season.
After Reid left the 49ers, he encountered a quiet free agent market, which he attributed to his protests.
In the grievance, the union alleged that “at least one club owner has asked preemployment interview questions about a player’s intent to demonstrate.”
Three games into the 2018 season, Reid signed with the Panthers, whose owner David Tepper, was the only NFL owner not named in the grievance since he had not yet purchased the franchise. Despite finding a new team, Reid didn’t drop his collusion grievance.
He started all 13 games he played in this season and finished with 71 tackles, one interception and one sack for the Panthers.
Signed to a one-year deal, Reid will enter free agency again this spring, but both sides have expressed interest in his remaining in Carolina.
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