Seattle Seahawks cornerback Brandon Browner is prepared to sue the NFL over the circumstances surrounding his one-year suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy, according to CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora.
Brandon Browner could sue NFL in fight against suspension
The Seahawks cornerback is prepared to sue the league over how it notifies players in regards to their drug cases.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Browner, who has already lost his appeal to the league, is facing a one-year suspension for violating the substance abuse policy as a part of Stage 3 of the program after testing positive for a small amount of marijuana in his system. The contention is over whether Browner should have even been moved to Stage 3 of the program in the first place, as the supposed violations for “failure to cooperate” came when Browner was out of the league and supposedly not subject to further testing by the NFL.
Picked up as an undrafted free agent by the Denver Broncos in 2005, Browner was placed on IR that season and then activated in the offseason of 2006 before being released in July. The cornerback was facing a four-game suspension in 2007, yet Browner was out of the league at the time and had moved on to playing in the CFL. Reportedly, the league never notified Browner of any further required tests and according to the league's drug policy it appears as if Browner was not required to comply with further testing after his release from the Broncos.
Browner was signed by the Seahawks in August 2011, at which point he was informed he was in Stage 3 and subject to vigorous testing by the league for the next few years. Browner was suspended for the final four games of the 2012 season for violating the league’s drug policy.
Browner is fighting the suspension and is prepared to sue over how the league notifies players of their drug status and how their cases are handled, especially considering his punishment for missed tests while out of the league.
In three seasons with Seattle, Browner has 10 interceptions and 104 tackles in 36 games.
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