Though Brian Cushing already served the 4-game suspension for failing an anti-doping test, there are still some people who are not convinced on his alibi. Cushing maintained his position that he never ingested steroids and pointed instead on the “overtrained athlete syndrome.” The Rookie of the Year said that the elevated levels of HCG found in his system could be due to a condition called the “overtrained athlete syndrome.” The NFL rejected his claim even if the team owner requested for reconsideration for the 4-game suspension.

And the latest NFL player who shared his “expert opinion” on this case is the former linebacker Bill Romanowski. In his interview at the Houston’s Sports Talk Radio with Matt Jackson and Adam Wexler, Romanowski believes that the failed test is really a result of ingesting a substance banned by the league. “I know an awful lot about the ingredient (HCG), I call it an ingredient,” Romanowski told Jackson and Wexler. “But it was a drug that he took, and if it had anything to do with overtraining syndrome, whatever that is, I would have failed every single drug test I ever took in my life,” added Romanowski.

Some health experts were also skeptical about the claims of Cushing because of limited available clinical information about the syndrome. How about Romanowski’s statement? Should we believe him that Cushing is not telling the truth about his failed anti-doping test?

The former linebacker is well acquainted with supplements. In the report of the Houston Examiner, Romanowski was described as a supplement junkie. In fact, he was one of the few NFL players who admitted taking anabolic steroids and human growth hormone. He is also one of the professional athletes who used THG, a designer steroids produced by the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative (BALCO) managed by Victor Conte. The THG or commonly known as the clear was not included in the banned substances of the league during that time.

The linebacker, who is also holding a record in the NFL for playing 243 consecutive games, said in the interview that Cushing should have accepted his mistake. “I’m not here to call people liars or anything like that, I’m really not,” he said. “I’m here to call things how I see it and to be honest and in my heart of hearts, I wish Brian would have come out and said (that he) messed up and made a mistake.”

Players who were caught by the league for taking banned substances should blame themselves. Taking supplements is not evitable but they have to be very careful on what kind of supplements they are ingesting. According to Romanowski, he never took a supplement with ingredients found in the league’s list of banned substances. He considers it as his bible.

Bill Romanowski is a two-time Pro Bowler and owner of four Super Bowl rings. He played in the pro football league for more than 16 years. Right now, the linebacker established his own supplements company, the Nutrition53.

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