Richie James Jr. had a modest game for the 49ers in their 51-13 romp over the Carolina Panthers. He played 15 offensive snaps without a target in the passing game, and he played 12 special teams snaps as the team’s primary kick and punt returner.
As a return man, James had six punt returns for 49 yards, and didn’t field a kick off because they all went for touchbacks.
Six touches for 49 yards in 27 snaps isn’t necessarily a monster performance, but that didn’t stop James from getting hit with a drug test.
The second-year receiver tweeted Monday morning that he was subjected to a PED test:
James has taken to doing backflips behind the quarterback when the team is in a victory formation. But the NFL issues their drug tests randomly, and James must’ve come up.
He’s carved out a nice niche for the 49ers after being selected with a seventh-round pick in the 2018 draft. He’s earned a starting job as a returner, and he’s posted 14 catches for 238 yards and two touchdowns in his two seasons.
James is an explosive athlete who’s shown a penchant for big plays when his number is called, but it’s hard to believe the NFL singled him out for a drug test based on what they saw Sunday.
Fingers crossed James doesn’t stop doing backflips.
