Le'Veon Bell's frustration spilled off the field Wednesday when he voiced his disgust at being targeted by NFL drug testers. The Jets veteran running back, who has twice been suspended for substance abuse violations of the league's drug policy, announced on Twitter that he will refuse another blood test after already taking five in the first 10 weeks of the season.
"I done had 5 'random' HGH blood test in 10 weeks ... @NFL," Bell tweeted. "I'm not doing another after today, whatever y'all lookin for it obviously ain't there & I'm not about to keep allowing y'all to stick me with those dirty ass needles.. find the players who really do that HGH BS & get off me."
The NFL doesn't actually administer the testing. The NFL Players Association and the league collectively bargained the policy that is conducted by a jointly appointed administrator, per the policy guidelines.
According to policy, a total of 40 players across the league (five players from eight teams) are randomly selected via a computer program.
Although the NFL drug testing policy details that players can be subjected to as many as six blood tests each year, the powers that be can administer more tests if a player is "in reasonable cause testing." Those players are subject to a maximum of 24 urine and/or blood tests per year, per the collectively bargained policy guidelines.
Bell must be the unluckiest guy in the league since he's already been selected five times for tests. However, threatening not to take another test isn't a sound tactic. Skipping tests would ultimately trigger an automatic suspension.
If anyone knows that, it's Bell, who was suspended for the first three games of the 2016 season after missing three tests in nine months. He was also suspended for two games in 2015 after a DUI arrest that included admitting to police that he smoked marijuana.
Bell missed portions of practice on consecutive days during his first training camp with the Jets to get urine tests. (All players are tested once from April 20-Aug. 9). Bell missed the bulk of the offseason program, which evidently prompted the league to administer the tests in camp.
"He's never said anything to me," Adam Gase said Wednesday about whether Bell voiced his displeasure about the process. "It's something's that's out of our control."
When Gase was told that Bell threatened not to take another test, the coach said, "Great. Well, it's out of our control. That's just kind of part of the process."
Gase is right.
That likely won't change Bell's belief that he's unfairly being singled out now.
When someone tweeted that the NFL's pettiness will undoubtedly prompt a sixth drug test, Bell responded: "And I won't be doin it."
He also had a back-and-forth with a couple others on social media, which is typically not a productive way to handle your business. When someone suggested that Bell shouldn't object now given his history of marijuana use, the player responded: "You don't need my blood to test me for marijuana weirdo ... I can easily pee in a cup."
So, it appears that Bell won't take issue with submitting urine samples every other week. But sticking a needle into his body is the line of demarcation.
The testing is just another element to this nightmarish season for Bell, who is on pace for the worst statistical season of his career. The three-time Pro Bowler is averaging a career-low 3.2 yards per carry for the 31st ranked rush offense. Bell, who's been banged up with knee/ankle/rib issues in recent weeks, hasn't topped 70 yards on the ground in any game.
The Jets were looking to dump Bell's four-year, $52.5 million contract before the trade deadline a few weeks ago, but couldn't find any takers willing to absorb the remaining money.
Bell, who sat out all last season due to a contract impasse with the Steelers, wasn't amenable to take a pay cut to play for another team. Gang Green will explore moving Bell once again this offseason, but they will almost certainly have to be willing to pay part of his 2020 salary to have a realistic chance of trading him.
It's been a forgettable season on the field for one of the game's most versatile weapons.
Now it feels that he's still having to pay for past off-field transgression. But he has to play by the rules agreed upon by the union and league.
Perhaps, the player's deeds created his new reality. Or maybe he's just unlucky.
It might seem unfair, but it's not going to change no matter how many times Bell tweets about it.
