The Carolina Panthers’ Eric Reid played in Monday Night Football’s game this week, and when it was over he received a letter that he had to be drug tested.
That normally wouldn’t be so strange, but Reid has been tested a number of times since he started with the team just a little over two months ago.
He’s also been a staunch supporter of Colin Kaepernick since Kap has seemingly been ousted by the NFL for kneeling during the National Anthem. In fact, Reid was the second player after the quarterback-turned-activist to join the protest.
And this past Monday, Reid wore an image of Kaepernick on his cleats and many think that move, as well as his ongoing activism, has everything to do with the slew of drug tests.
“I’ve been here 11 weeks, I’ve been drug tested seven times,” Reid told reporters during a locker room interview. “That has to be statistically impossible. I’m not a mathematician but there’s no way that’s right.”
Others associated with the league also thought the seven drug tests in 11 weeks was ridiculous.
“Wow. This is crazy,” wrote retired safety Will Blackmon.
“SMFH,” tweeted free agent Darius Butler. “I might have had 2-3 of these in my career.”
USA Today confirmed that the tests are partially administered by the NFL Players Association, who’ve been accused of not supporting the protest or those players who’ve been involved.
“I know I’ve done nothing wrong, so I’m not concerned that my drug tests will come back positive,” said Reid last month. “But the system is lying, much like what I’m protesting.”
You can see his most recent interview on the drug tests below.
Panthers S Eric Reid on his seventh random drug test this year and whether it will be part of his grievance case against the league pic.twitter.com/w0Heqzj264
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) December 18, 2018
