The NFL announced on Friday that Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman La’el Collins had been suspended five games for violating the league’s policy and program on substance abuse.
Perhaps more specifically, Collins was suspended for missing drugs tests as part of the league’s policy. But even that is somewhat muddy because based on CBA language, a suspension is only warranted if a player has “[failed] to cooperate with testing or clinical care” four or more times.
Whatever the case may be, the announcement of Collins’ suspension came with some controversy.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports that Collins and his representation are “livid” because they didn’t feel as if the appeals process had been completed and therefor no suspension should have been announced.
Collins and his representatives are livid. They believe the appeals process has not fully and finally concluded. But now both the NFL and the Cowboys have announced the suspension. https://t.co/0RQ8LAWY0c
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 10, 2021
Florio also suggests that the NFL’s confidentiality agreement had been breached as a result. Compounding matters, the alleged breach came from one of their own in-house reporters.
“We are extremely disappointed in how the NFL has handled this entire matter from trampling on Mr. Collins rights to prematurely releasing the information knowing a timely appeal was filed to intentionally misleading the court at the hearing,” Peter Schaffer, an NFL agent who is handling the appeal, said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports. “The extent and effort the NFL went to to accomplish its ends is appalling.”
While the NFL apparently considers this matter closed, Schaffer has gone ahead and filed another appeal on behalf of Collins.
