Aug 15, 2016 3 min read

LATROBE – The NFL is playing hardball with the Steelers’ James Harrison and other players named in a since-discredited report from Al Jazeera that claimed the outside linebacker ordered PEDs from an Indianapolis anti-aging clinic.

According to the letter, which was acquired by the Observer-Reporter and other media outlets, Harrison, free agent Mike Neal and Green Bay’s Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers, have until Aug. 25 to submit to an interview with the league regarding the report. If they fail to do so, they will be suspended indefinitely Aug. 26 until the time they do meet with league officials.

The NFL Players Association is telling them not to submit to the interviews. Former Denver quarterback Peyton Manning, who is now retired, also was named in the report but conducted interviews with the league and was cleared of any wrongdoing.

At the suggestion of the NFLPA, the others named in the report sent the league signed affidavits proclaiming their innocence. But the league remains adamant its investigators are given the opportunity to meet with the players.

“There is no dispute that players are obligated to cooperate with the league’s investigation, as you have repeatedly acknowledged,” the letter to the players said. “This obligation includes not only the responsibility to submit to an interview but also the duty to provide meaningful responses to the questions posed. … We cannot accept your unilateral assertion that the cursory, untested statements you have submitted satisfy the players’ obligation. Accordingly, (NFL commissioner Roger Goodell) has directed that Messrs. Harrison, Matthews, Neal and Peppers be given until Thursday, August 25 to provide interviews.”

Harrison’s agent, Bill Parise, believes his client is caught between two organzations attempting to gain leverage against each other, especially in the wake of New England quarterback Tom Brady losing his case in court to overturn his suspension for failure to cooperate with the league’s Deflategate investigation.

“I think the NFL is trying to bully the NFLPA, and the NFLPA is trying to bully the NFL,” said Parise. “It’s two bulls and they’re pushing each other. At some point, somebody has to understand that there are players involved and lives involved. Players’ livelihoods are involved.

“I think, at some point, cooler heads will prevail and some middle ground can be reached. But I don’t know what that is.”

According to the letter, the NFL attempted to set up interviews with the players seven times and informed them July 29 that failure to do so could result in suspension.

Harrison has maintained he never tested positive for use of PEDs and refused to answer questions regarding the investigation at the Steelers training camp at Saint Vincent College.

In a report released by Al Jazeera last December, former unpaid Guyer Institute intern pharmacist Charlie Sly allegedly spoke to an undercover reporter working for the network. In a statement Sly later recanted, the intern said Harrison was among several prominent athletes who were supplied illegal performance-enhancing drugs from the Indianapolis-based clinic.

The Steelers also refused to comment, saying only the issue is between the player and the league.