“I was tested 20 times” – Former NFL linebacker Shawne Merriman sheds light on PED suspension that resulted in the end of his career
The San Diego Chargers got the perfect pass rusher in the 2005 draft in Shawne Merriman. The 12th overall pick in the draft made an immediate impact on the team after recording 39.5 sacks in his rookie year while going on to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
However, his success was short-lived. In 2006, Merriman tested positive for Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) and faced a suspension.
The linebacker shared his experience on the latest iteration of the Bussin with the Boys podcast. Shawne Merriman made his case that he had consumed common over-the-counter supplements whose use was prevalent in the NFL.
I’ve never seen a doctor for s***. I got suspended for something that was over the counter like you can go to any vitamin shop or whatever. And what happened was they put on a list, but from the previous it wasn’t there.
The linebacker revealed that the NFL Players Association shares a list of substances that players are banned from consuming every year.
However, he was confident that the supplements he was consuming were pure, and did not bother to check the list.
Me being me, I didn’t look at anything. So when the PA sends out the new list before the season, it was on there…I just balled it up and put it in my locker because I’m not taking anything different.
That turned out to be a disastrous decision for Merriman. Following a breakout rookie season, the NFL decided it was time the Chargers’ linebacker was tested.
Shawne Merriman retired in 2012 at the age of 28
He was heavily tested by the league in the 2006 season. Merriman revealed during the podcast that he went on to be tested 20 times throughout the year and he cleared 19 of them, but it was the one he failed that mattered the most.
I got tested during the offseason, and at the time I was tested 20 times. The 20th test that I took, I failed…they were testing the s*** out of my a**, like all the time, dude. They were like, ‘hold on, this rookie out here, he’s going bonkers’.
Shawne Merriman said
The result of the test shocked him because he was not taking anything out of the blue.
Merriman submitted appeals to the NFL and pleaded his innocence, but to no avail. He was suspended for four games and missed the start of the 2006 season. Despite the setback, he went on to have a good season that year and made the first-team All-Pro.
Merriman became the last player in league history to win an award in the same season they faced suspension for PEDs as the NFL instated the ‘Shawne Merriman Rule.’ Players who test positive for banned substances can no longer be nominated for awards in that season.
Shawne Merriman’s NFL career did not pan out as expected. He had a great start after winning Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2005, landing up third in the Defensive Player of the Year race in 2006, and made the Pro Bowl and NFL’s All-Pro teams.
The linebacker missed 35 games over the subsequent seasons before he decided to retire at the age of 28 years. He has since taken a step back from the game and remains in good health.
