Cowboys’ Dill Suspended
Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle R.J. Dill has been suspended for the first four games of the season due to a violation of the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
The suspension was reported Friday by Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, and the NFL Players Association then released a statement from Dill explaining the circumstances.
Dill, 25, was undrafted out of Rutgers in 2013 and had short stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Rams. He had signed with the Cowboys in January.
In his statement, Dill explained the positive test: “In August 2014, I thought my dream of playing in the NFL was over, and I began to transition away from professional football. During these months away from football, I noticed a drastic change in my energy and activity levels, so I saw my doctor, and blood tests revealed that my testosterone levels were very low. My doctor suggested that I undergo testosterone replacement therapy, and I accepted the recommended treatment. I completed one round of testosterone replacement therapy in November 2014, and almost immediately I felt like my old self again. At this time I was not under contract with any NFL team, nor was
I actively pursuing an NFL career.”
He said the Cowboys called in January and he began training for the 2015 season. Then the NFL called in May and told him he had failed a drug test.
He said, “While my doctor had told me that the residual amounts of the testosterone would be out of my system about eight weeks after treatment, that was not accurate, and I failed a drug test a full six months after I had received the prescribed treatment.”
Dill said he tried to get approved for a therapeutic use exception, but the NFL denied his petition.
“I consulted with my union after the positive test and learned that even in these circumstances the NFL imposes discipline because having the intention to cheat or break the rules is not required for a violation of NFL’s PES policy (or any workplace drug policy),” he said.
“It is very difficult for me to accept that a suspension is imposed by the NFL after I followed treatment prescribed by a medical professional during a time when I was not employed by an NFL team. In my view, this situation carries the weight of an unforgiving label, ‘cheater,’ which I am not. I live with integrity, on and off the field, and I want people to understand the factual circumstances of my suspension, so that they and the NFL understand that I never sought a competitive advantage. Finally, I would like to thank my family, friends and the Dallas Cowboys organization for their continued support.
