Steelers LB James Harrison Demands Roger Goodell Come To Him For PED Interview

by Pablo MenaJune 28, 2016, 12:15 pmNews >

James Harrison has stated he is willing to meet with NFL investigators in order to discuss his link to performance-enhancing drugs, according to an Al-Jazeera America report, but the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker has a few conditions for the interview.

Steelers LB James Harrison Demands Roger Goodell Come To Him For PED Interview

He made the statement via an Instragram post on Sunday, a post in which he said the interview must take place at his house (not in training camp as the league had previously planned), that Harrison gets to choose the date for the meeting, and that Commissioner Roger Goodell must attend.

@NFL I look forward to speaking with you. Goodnight

A photo posted by James Harrison (@jhharrison92) on Jun 26, 2016 at 8:24pm PDT

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Harrison, 38, also posted a copy of the league’s letter scheduling his interview for July 28, the day before the Steelers open camp in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

Harrison and the NFL have been at odds over PED testing this offseason, with the Steelers star recording one test and being shut down from recording a second test. He still took the test off-camera, claiming he was told not cooperating would be treated the same as a positive result.

When asked by ESPN and Pro Football Talk for a response to Harrison’s post, the NFL declined comment. Harrison’s agent, Bill Parise, also declined comment to ESPN.

The December Al-Jazeera report alleged that Harrison was one among several NFL players to receive shipments of a new PED called Delta-2 from a man identified as a pharmacist.

Harrison denied the allegations. The pharmacist, Charlie Sly, has since recanted the story that was the centerpiece of the report, which also implicated retired quarterback Peyton Manning as a recipient of HGH.

The league has also requested interviews with Green Bay Packers linebackers Julius Pepper and Clay Matthews and free agent Mike Neal, according to a letter obtained by ESPN on Friday. An NFL spokesman stated Monday that the league will meet with Manning as well.

In a statement responding to the letter Friday, the NFL Players Association said the league is trying to pressure the players into submission.

“The NFL has chosen to initiate an investigation of these players based upon now-recanted statements that appeared in an Al Jazeera report,” the NFLPA stated. “The NFLPA requested from the NFL any additional evidence supporting an investigation of the players; the NFL did not provide any such evidence, nor did they inform the NFLPA or the players that any such evidence exists.”

PHOTO: PITTSBURGH, PA – NOVEMBER 30: James Harrison #92 of the Pittsburgh Steelers is introduced prior to the game against the New Orleans Saints at Heinz Field on November 30, 2014 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)