A new lawsuit against the National Football League was filed by former players on Tuesday claiming the league illegally used prescription pain-killers to mask injuries to allow players to keep playing.
Former NFL coach and broadcaster John Madden says the culture of pain-killers in the league can even extend to the broadcast booth.
In an appearance on KCBS radio in San Francisco on Wednesday, Madden said he knows of an NFL announcer that will get pain-killing shots before games.
“I know an announcer that goes down to the locker room to get a Toradol shot before a game,” Madden said.
“I think he goes at a different time [than the players], you know, he gets there early, you know, that type of thing. But he’s gotten Toradol shots.”
Madden didn’t identify the broadcaster in question, though it’s possible to assume it could be one of the many ex-players that now commentate on games across the league. Toradol is a pain-killer frequently used in the league to allow players to play despite injuries. Tarvaris Jackson would get a Toradol shot before games while playing with a torn pectoral muscle as the Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback in 2011.
Teams have begun to lessen their use of Toradol on players. However, some players have still sought out the drug by other means because it’s non-addictive and non-narcotic. Apparently broadcasters are also seeking out its pain-killing ability as well.