Eric Reid believes that he’s been targeted for non-random random PED testing. The NFL and NFLPA have declared otherwise. Reid’s lawyers currently are moving toward attempting to prove that Reid is right.
Per a league source, the recent letter from Reid’s lawyers to the league and the union represents the first tangible step in a process that may culminate in a grievance or some other legal proceeding aimed at showing that the random testing process was corrupted as to Reid, who believes that extra testing happened in retaliation for his collusion grievance against the NFL.
The letter seeking more information about the report commissioned by the NFL and NFLPA from the independent administrator of the PED testing program is intended to flesh out some of the facts and to commence the process of building what eventually would be a case that would prove foul play. There may be more steps before a final decision is made on whether to initiate a formal legal challenge.
The implications would be significant, if Reid’s lawyer can prove that Reid’s PED tests weren’t truly random -- especially since the league and union (which rarely agree on anything) have come together to dispute Reid’s claims publicly.
Reid’s first step toward victory could come from refuting the leaks to multiple outlets that he overstated his total random tests. The home run would come if an expert in tracking down digital evidence can show that the computer algorithm that selected Reid had in any way been altered or engineered to produce something other than 10 random Panthers players per week for PED testing. It would become a huge scandal, showing that the league had gone to extreme and unusual steps to make Reid’s return to the NFL unpleasant.
However it turns out, both sides currently seem to be confident in their position. The fact that the union is now aligned against Reid adds to the potential intrigue, and the possible consequences. Here’s hoping that, in the end, someone gets to the truth -- and that the truth is presented in a way that will be accepted as accurate and credible.
And of course in this day and age the only thing that can be known with certainty is that last part won’t happen.