Blitz
Well-known member
- Mar 20, 2019
- 2,127
- 0
Getty Images
With Marshawn Lynch back in the NFL, some have raised an intriguing question regarding whether his career could be derailed by a positive drug test, in the event that he has recently been smoking or eating substances containing cannabis.
Legal in more and more states for medicinal and/or recreational reasons, the NFL still prohibits marijuana use, in theory. Given the tight timeline that applies to Lynch’s upcoming tenure with the Seahawks, it most likely won’t be an issue — even if he has been smoking regularly and repeatedly while out of the league.
For players under contract during the offseason and/or preseason, testing happens randomly during a window that opens, coincidentally, on 4/20. According to the NFL, players who sign after the preseason are testing promptly upon inking their contracts.
As a practical matter, it won’t matter for Lynch. If he’s not already in the substance-abuse program, a positive test would result in placement in Stage One of the program, which results in enhanced testing. He could be tested (and he could fail) throughout the next five weeks and never fail enough times to be suspended for any postseason games.
Indeed, even if he could somehow fail enough tests to warrant a suspension (it takes more than a few), he has appeal rights, the exercise of which would delay any suspension until after the playoffs end.
Even if he’s currently in Stage Three of the program, which in theory results in an indefinite suspension after one failed test, the process surely wouldn’t play out in time for Lynch to be kept from playing in the Super Bowl. So while the policy definitely applies and Lynch definitely was (or will be) tested upon signing with the Seahawks, he’ll be playing on Sunday and until the Seahawks’ season ends, even if it last until the Super Bowl.