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Sources: Owens placed in 'reasonable cause' testing program
By Chris Mortensen
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: June 9, 2008, 2:55 PM ET
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Last Tuesday, on the same day the Dallas Cowboys announced that wide receiver Terrell Owens had agreed to a contract extension with $13 million in guaranteed money, Owens earlier was in New York meeting with NFL officials after being placed in the league's "reasonable cause" testing program for performance-enhancing drugs, league, team and player sources told ESPN.
Owens
Owens was placed in the program because he missed day-of telephone calls to set up random tests, the sources said. A player that misses a test can be subject to disciplinary action, but because Owens had a "plausible" explanation, league administrators decided he would not be suspended or fined. Instead, Owens now is subject to random testing for performance enhancers up to a maximum of 24 annual screenings, and these additional screenings can be required, if the NFL chooses to do so, for the remainder of his NFL career.
An NFL spokesman said the league would have no comment because of the confidentiality restrictions of the program. Cowboys officials had no immediate comment. Owens' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, was unavailable for comment, but his partner and brother, Jason Rosenhaus, said, "We're not allowed to comment on anything pertaining to that topic."
After receiving a letter from the NFL informing him of the action, Owens met with NFL officials last Tuesday morning because he was in the New York area. Owens has since passed a test for performance enhancers, the sources said, adding that he has never had a positive test for any illegal substance.
Owens was warned that he risks a suspension if administrators experience a similar road block as when they attempted to reach him two weeks ago. On one occasion, the primary phone number Owens provided was that of Drew Rosenhaus. Subsequently, the sources said, the alternate phone number Owens provided went unanswered, except for an automated message that communicated, "The voice mailbox for this user is full." Owens told the league that his phone had not shown any record of its missed calls.
The testing program requires players to make themselves accessible and communicate their specific location when they are contacted for a test.
It was late last Tuesday afternoon when Owens and the Cowboys held a news conference at the Cowboys' headquarters at Valley Ranch to announce the receiver's new three-year, $27 million contract extension with $13 million of new guaranteed money.
Chris Mortensen is an NFL reporter for ESPN. Information from ESPN.com's Ed Werder contributed to this report.
By Chris Mortensen
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: June 9, 2008, 2:55 PM ET
Comment
Last Tuesday, on the same day the Dallas Cowboys announced that wide receiver Terrell Owens had agreed to a contract extension with $13 million in guaranteed money, Owens earlier was in New York meeting with NFL officials after being placed in the league's "reasonable cause" testing program for performance-enhancing drugs, league, team and player sources told ESPN.
Owens
Owens was placed in the program because he missed day-of telephone calls to set up random tests, the sources said. A player that misses a test can be subject to disciplinary action, but because Owens had a "plausible" explanation, league administrators decided he would not be suspended or fined. Instead, Owens now is subject to random testing for performance enhancers up to a maximum of 24 annual screenings, and these additional screenings can be required, if the NFL chooses to do so, for the remainder of his NFL career.
An NFL spokesman said the league would have no comment because of the confidentiality restrictions of the program. Cowboys officials had no immediate comment. Owens' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, was unavailable for comment, but his partner and brother, Jason Rosenhaus, said, "We're not allowed to comment on anything pertaining to that topic."
After receiving a letter from the NFL informing him of the action, Owens met with NFL officials last Tuesday morning because he was in the New York area. Owens has since passed a test for performance enhancers, the sources said, adding that he has never had a positive test for any illegal substance.
Owens was warned that he risks a suspension if administrators experience a similar road block as when they attempted to reach him two weeks ago. On one occasion, the primary phone number Owens provided was that of Drew Rosenhaus. Subsequently, the sources said, the alternate phone number Owens provided went unanswered, except for an automated message that communicated, "The voice mailbox for this user is full." Owens told the league that his phone had not shown any record of its missed calls.
The testing program requires players to make themselves accessible and communicate their specific location when they are contacted for a test.
It was late last Tuesday afternoon when Owens and the Cowboys held a news conference at the Cowboys' headquarters at Valley Ranch to announce the receiver's new three-year, $27 million contract extension with $13 million of new guaranteed money.
Chris Mortensen is an NFL reporter for ESPN. Information from ESPN.com's Ed Werder contributed to this report.