James Harrison, Clay Matthews, More to Be Suspended If They Don’t Meet with NFL

Four players named in an Al Jazeera documentary on sports doping could potentially face a suspension if they fail to set up an interview with the NFL regarding the allegations by Aug. 25, per USA Today’s Tom Pelissero.

Pelissero obtained a copy of a letter that league executive Adolpho Birch sent to the NFL Players Association on Monday. The letter named free-agent linebacker Mike Neal and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison as well as Green Bay Packers linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers as the players the NFL wants to question.

The NFL asserted it could suspend the players for conduct detrimental to the league if they decline to be interviewed:

We cannot accept your unilateral assertion that the cursory, untested statements you have submitted satisfy the players’ obligation. Accordingly, the Commissioner has directed that Messrs. Harrison, Matthews, Neal and Peppers be given until Thursday, August 25 to provide interviews. For those players whose interviews do not take place on or before that date, or who fail meaningfully to participate in or otherwise obstruct the interview, their actions will constitute conduct detrimental and they will be suspended, separate and apart from any possible future determination that they violated the steroid policy. The suspension for each such player will begin on Friday, August 26 and will continue until he has fully participated in an interview with league investigators, after which the Commissioner will determine whether and when the suspension should be lifted.

In the letter, the league said it has tried to arrange interviews with the four on seven …

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