Seattle Seahawks rookie guard John Moffitt, on injured reserve with a right knee injury, has been slapped with a four-game suspension without pay for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
The NFL announced the suspension will begin immediately, even though Moffitt cannot play for the remainder of the season. He will miss no games because of the suspension, but will lose four games’ worth of salary.
Michael George, Moffitt’s agent, said his client’s suspension resulted from his use of a prescription drug used to treat hyperactivity. George said that Adderall — the drug that Moffitt used — is banned under the league’s policy unless a player has pre-approval from the league. Moffitt apparently lacked that league approval.
George said he would not appeal the suspension because any appeal could potentially carry the suspension into next season.
Moffitt, Seattle’s third-round pick in April’s draft out of Wisconsin, underwent surgery to repair torn knee ligaments just before Thanksgiving.
Moffitt started the first nine games at right guard before suffering his injury in the Week 10 victory over Baltimore. He has been joined on IR by left tackle Russell Okung. Right tackle James Carpenter was also on IR and also has had knee surgery.
The Seahawks placed Okung on injured reserve Tuesday after he suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Thursday’s 31-14 win over Philadelphia. The Seahawks have signed guard Mike Gibson to add depth on the offensive line, but the major changes concern the starters.
Paul McQuistan will switch from right guard to left tackle to take over for Okung. Lemuel Jeanpierre, who started at center earlier this season against Cleveland, will move in at right guard.
Head coach Pete Carroll did not address Moffitt’s suspension Tuesday, but did talk about the offensive line.
“Hopefully itll work out fine,” Carroll said. “Paul (McQuistan) is not unfamiliar with playing tackle, so that helps and Lem (Jeanpierre) has played a little bit for us. The fact that these guys have been with us and we dont have to go outside the organization and the system to get guys means were very fortunate.
“It does speak to the depth that we started camp with, in terms of familiar faces, anyway, instead of having to go some other way. Hopefully this will work out and well be able to keep going.
2 Comments
I know it wouldn’t help Russel Okung, but with all we have invested in our offensive linemen and all these knee injuries to them, why don’t we require our linemen to wear knee braces. I mean their not wide receivers or running backs. Come on man!
I know it wouldn’t help Russel Okung, but with all we have invested in our offensive linemen and all these knee injuries to them, why don’t we require our linemen to wear knee braces. I mean their not wide receivers or running backs. Come on man!