Brian Cushing Re-vote Sends the Wrong Message

Congratulations to Brian Cushing for winning the rookie of the year award again. After receiving a four game suspension for the use of performance enhancing drugs, The Houston Texans Linebacker received the award for the second time after the league called a re-vote.

The most head scratching part of this story is not so much the suspension, but the re-vote on the rookie of the year award. In most sports, athletes are stripped of their medals, titles, or awards for using these substances.

By allowing him to keep the award, is the NFL sending the wrong message about the use of performance enhancing drugs? Is there a more appropriate way to handle this issue?

The NFL’s recent action is sending the wrong message and the main reason is they haven’t had anyone pushing them to do so. The NFL and other leagues have escaped scrutiny and investigation during the last decade because all eyes were on Major League Baseball and their problems with steroid use. Consequently, the NFL has not made a concerted effort to really address the issue. By the NFL allowing for a re-vote on the rookie of the year award, they are basically telling their fans and players that they really do not take this problem seriously.

To add to the confusion, Brian Cushing tested positive at the beginning of the season he received the award for. Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), players have several appeals before the punishment is final. As a result, the NFL knew about the pending suspension during the season. It’s not clear what’s allowed under the CBA, but the NFL should have made the pending suspension known to the voters.

The re-vote has also revealed the inconsistency in NFL Policy. For example, under the league rule, if a player is suspended for steroids they cannot play in the Pro Bowl that year. What kind of message does that send to a player suspended for steroids? You’re not allowed to play in a meaningless exhibition game, but you can keep any season awards that actually hold honor and prestige?

The problem of performance enhancing drugs will not be solved over night and it will take a myriad of actions and policy decisions. In the meantime, the NFL can devise a clear and consistent policy on giving out awards to suspended players. For starters they can disclose any pending issues about players to the voters of time. If this is something that needs to be worked out in the next CBA then put it on the list. Finally, follow the example of other sports, like the Olympics, and strip players of awards if they are suspended. Do not hold a re-vote. Give the award to the runner up.

This would be a good first step in addressing steroids in the NFL. It will also help protect their greatest asset, the great game of football.