In the classic 1993 college football movie The Program, lineman Steve Lattimer pumps himself up with steroids and earns a place on the starting defense. But when his coach warns him about drug tests and he goes off the juice, Lattimer’s play declines and he’s run over on the goal line for a game-deciding touchdown.
Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson wants you to know he’s no Steve Lattimer.
Johnson, who has twice been suspended for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance policy, says he doesn’t need PEDs to fuel his performance and is in great shape, weighing in at around 320 pounds.
“Everybody expects me to be like the Steve Lattimer from ‘The Program’ and come back and weigh 180 and all my skills and talents were going to leave me,” Johnson said, via Philly.com. “That’s what people think but hey, look where I am now.”
Johnson claims his two suspensions were the result of consuming supplements that he didn’t realize had banned substances in them. He says he now takes no supplements at all.
“I’m just going to go out and worry about playing football and trying to wow people anytime I’m on the field. But as far as supplements, I don’t take anything. I just eat food, and that’s it. I’m really cautious. I try to not make any more dumb decisions. That’s hard to do,” Johnson said.
Johnson had better not be taking anything. If he violates the NFL’s PED policy a third time, it will result in a suspension of at least two years.