Why Does the NFL Test Players for Drugs After Games?

Washington’s Josh Norman has a right to be upset. 

“It’s crazy. Don’t have anything left in the tank and they want you drug tested? I don’t understand it. I don’t get it, I really don’t. What’s a day gonna do? It’s stupid,” the corner said after his team’s 27-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. The league informed him he had to submit to a random drug test after the game, and according to Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Norman had more to say than what he said on record to reporters. 

Every NFL player gets randomly tested at least once a year. And while they shouldn’t be able to anticipate exactly when the league is going to pop up and say it’s time to let them check for illegal substances, there must be about a thousand better times throughout the season when the test can take place. For instance: any single day that isn’t game day, not before or after the player takes the field. As I’m sure the NFL is aware of, there are six other days in the week when players aren’t getting battered and bruised, so they should maybe considering then. And while some football fans could use the old, “They’re millionaires. They can take a stupid drug test,” there is something to be said about giving anybody – rich athletes or not – a little room to breathe.

Although the league is sure it has the best drug testing policy in sports, the fact is that any testing policy has its flaws – even the NFL’s. Yet this isn’t about the gaps, it’s more about common sense. Like Norman points out, anything the league is testing for would probably show up Monday or Tuesday if it’s in his system on Sunday. 

Norman will probably be over the test by now, considering his team just went 0-2 and have an upcoming game against the rival New York Giants. But seriously, NFL, maybe just let the guy chill out before you take a blood test from him.