Titans’ Johnson suspended six games after fertility medication triggers PED violation
NFL bans Tennessee cornerback Nazeeh Johnson for first six regular-season games without pay, citing a substance found in fertility treatment medication.
The National Football League has suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Nazeeh Johnson for the first six regular-season games without pay after he tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance. The violation stems from fertility medication the player was taking, a detail Johnson disclosed in a statement released on Friday evening.
According to the player, the banned substance was an unintended component of medication he used while attempting to conceive a child with his wife. Johnson revealed that the couple had recently suffered the loss of a baby and were undergoing treatment to build their family. He stated he was unaware the medication contained a substance prohibited under the league’s policy.
The suspension is scheduled to commence on 30 August, which allows Johnson to participate in the Titans’ final two preseason games. He will become eligible for reinstatement on 19 October. The player used the opportunity to issue a warning to other athletes, particularly new entrants to the league, urging them to strictly follow approval processes before ingesting any substances.
Johnson was listed as the third-string cornerback on the team’s depth chart heading into the regular season. He tied for the team lead with five tackles during the Titans’ 19-13 preseason victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night. His performance contributed to his standing as a key depth piece for the defensive backfield.
The 28-year-old signed with the Titans less than a month ago after spending four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. A former seventh-round draft pick out of Marshall, Johnson won two Super Bowls with Kansas City but appeared in only two games last season due to a shoulder injury. Over 29 career games, he has recorded 66 tackles, three passes defensed, and one sack.
He was one of four players suspended by the NFL on Friday. The league’s enforcement action stands regardless of the player’s intent, as the violation occurred through the ingestion of the medication. Johnson’s statement highlighted the personal toll of the situation, describing the period as one of pain and disappointment for him and his wife.
