The NFL has completed three of the four player interviews related to its performance-enhancing drug investigation stemming from an Al Jazeera America report, sources with knowledge of the situation told NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport.
The league has interviewed Green Bay Packers teammates Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison, Rapoport reported. As of Thursday, free-agent linebacker Mike Neal was the only player named in the report who had not spoken to league investigators.
The NFL previously cleared retired quarterback Peyton Manning, also named in the report.
Last week, the NFL threatened the players with potential suspensions under the conduct-detrimental clause of the collective bargaining agreement for failure to cooperate with the investigation.
Speaking to NFL Media's Aditi Kinkhabwala last week, Harrison said he agreed to do the interview because he didn't want to be put in a position that could ultimately hurt his team. He also said the NFL doesn't have any evidence related to the allegations directed at him.
"I just agreed to it ... so they can get their little 23 seconds or whatever," Harrison said. "They don't have credible evidence. Period. End of discussion."
"I never took a PED in my life and never failed a drug test. You know, simple," Harrison said. "Whatever evidence they think they may have or reason for questioning me ... I really don't know.
