Chargers' Merriman suspended for steroids

[Walter Cronkite]

Shawne Merriman, a first-round pick out of Maryland in 2004, has quickly become a top defender.

Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman has been notified he will be suspended for four games for violating the NFL's steroids and related substances policy, league and team sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

Merriman's positive test was "definitely for steroids … not one of those supplement deals" said a source with knowledge of Merriman's suspension.

Merriman, 22, was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year last season and started in the Pro Bowl. He is second on the Chargers with 5½ sacks this season.

Merriman's suspension originally was to be announced last Tuesday when two other players -- the Falcons' Mark Lehr and the Lions' Shaun Rogers -- were suspended for violating the policy. But Merriman reserved the right to appeal his suspension, so it was not announced.

The team was on a plane Sunday night and neither the Chargers, nor Merriman could be reached for comment, though the team was expected to issue a statement later Sunday.

Merriman's suspension is the latest on a laundry list of on- and off-the-field issues coach Marty Schottenheimer has had to deal with this season.

From a strictly football standpoint, Merriman's four-game absence decimates a San Diego defense already reeling from injuries.

Linebacker Steve Foley was shot in the leg by a off-duty police officer on Sept. 3 and was subsequently placed on injured reserve. Foley's replacement, Shaun Phillips, injured his right calf in Sunday's 30-27 loss to Kansas City and will be out four to six weeks.

In addition, linebacker Igor Olshansky is out after having arthroscopic knee surgery and is likely to miss a month.

Off the field, the situation has been at least as devastating.

Safety Terrence Kiel is currently facing five felony drug charges relating to the shipping and possession of large quantities of prescription cough syrup, which is a controlled substance. Although Drug Enforcement Administration investigators said Kiel admitted he shipped at least two packages and knew of the contents, Kiel pleaded not guilty at his arraignment earlier this month.

Foley, meanwhile, has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor DUI stemming from his confrontation with an off-duty Coronado, Calif., police officer.

Police said that Foley, who, according to his agent, David Levine, is currently unable to walk or stand without assistance, had been partying in downtown San Diego and registered a blood-alcohol level of .233 percent, nearly three times California's legal limit of .08 percent.

The charges carry enhancements that include being charged with DUI within 10 years of a prior conviction and having a blood-alcohol level exceeding .15.

Foley has been arrested at least five times since 1999, including cases that police say involved alcohol and confrontations with officers.

Source: ESPN.com

[AndySMC]

First Rogers, then Lehr, now Merriman. I don't know about you but i feel there are going to be plenty more big name players getting caught using roids. I mean why don't people just train hard and use the offseason to get better. And people don't seem to understand why Tiki Barber, the New York Giants star running back is going to retire at the end of this year. It's not because of the competition level, he is the leading rusher so far in the season. But these boosted up players thats cheating they're way into millions of dollars, are hitting and it's not natural ability. It's steroids combined with all this anger and adrenaline that built up inside all week. It nerve wrecking for a running back every game.

Merriman is a baller no doubt about that, but the fact that he used steroids to enhance his game is useless to his so called star power. It also gives bad names to linebackers that work so hard in the offseason and in the film room day to day. Players like Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Zach Thomas, Keith Brooking; Linebackers who dominate the game are going to be looked at that way. It shows that instead of taking a one to two month vacation in the offseason, you take a couple of weeks to relax and spend quality time with your family. Then you start back training hard to play at your best.

I just don't understand this league but i was reading one response and the person said an eight game suspension should happen. I agree to a certain point. I feel that if there are more offenses than thats when you go up more because players are making millions to play this game and i don't think it's fair to us fans that we have to pay to watch some juiced up players. It's bad enough that the prices are juiced up at the stadium alone.......but maybe it's just me.