NFL Denounces Richard Sherman’s Comments

Dec 30, 2012, Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (25) celebrates on the field following a 20-13 victory over the St. Louis Rams at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, who is no stranger to controversy, has found himself in that spot light again. Whether it’s enticing players to punch him after games, confronting Tom Brady, or going on First Take to verbally attack Skip Bayless (not that we all don’t wish we could), Sherman is a magnet for these controversies.

Now his comments on the NFL Network about players use of Adderall has him coming under scrutiny again.

“There’s a bunch of guys in the league on prescription for Adderall, so what — you know, I’ve never seen people get prescribed a performance-enhancing drug, you know what I mean?” Sherman said.  “So I don’t understand, you know, what everybody is so — you know, they go so crazy about it when some of these guys test positive for it, but a bunch of guys have prescriptions for it, so it’s, like, you know, kind of misleading.”

Adderall is on the NFL’s banned substance list, however, the drug is legal and anyone can be prescribed it to deal with ADD. But the league took Sherman’s comments seriously, and have released a statement.

“The comments are ill-informed and inaccurate,” the league said in a statement. “Adderall is easily detected under current testing and will result in a suspension absent an approved therapeutic use exemption.  If his statement were true, we would be seeing many more positive tests and suspensions. More importantly, his comments are irresponsible, as they ignore the serious medical risks and documented public health crisis associated with the improper use of Adderall and similar drugs.”

Richard Sherman has tested positive for adderall and could be downplaying the drug in an attempt to help his own image. It reminds me of the “weed is just a plant” argument for marijuana. Nevertheless, the NFL will probably be paying close attention to Sherman’s tests this season.