New York Jets linebacker Brandon Copeland intends to file a lawsuit this week against a supplement company whose product was tainted and led to Copeland’s four-game suspension to begin the season.
According to Dennis Waszak Jr. of the Associated Press, Copeland was recommended a supplement by a nutritionist to help aid recovery. He had it reviewed to check that it’s ingredients complied with the league’s banned substances list and cross-checked it himself on the NFL’s app available to players as a resource.
“Unfortunately, this supplement in particular was contaminated,” Copeland said.
Copeland collected all his supplements and sent them out for testing at $745 a test. One of the supplements was confirmed to have had the foreign substance in it. Copeland would name the company or the supplement in question due to the impending legal action.
“I don’t hold my head down or anything like that,” Copeland said. “I know the person I am, my family knows the person I am. People who know me know the person I am. If anyone knows my journey and my story, it really doesn’t really make sense for me to try to cheat the game or cheat myself at this point in time, coming off the best season of my life on the field, off the field.”
Copeland returned to practice for the Jets on Wednesday after completing the four-game suspension.