Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Mike Pennel and cornerback Demetri Goodson were both suspended four games for violating the NFL’s drug policy, earlier this offseason.
On Tuesday, they faced the media for the first time since those suspensions were handed down. Neither player made excuses, but neither guy said much, either.
Pennel, who was expected to be a starter on the defensive line, got his suspension for violating the substance abuse policy. That means a second failed drug test.
“Anything that happens usually in my life, anything that’s a speed bump, I don’t want to say it stunts my growth, but it’s a setback,” Pennel said. “So now I just try to put my best foot forward and be a better person and be a better player for the Green Bay Packers.”
Goodson, who primarily plays special teams and may have a tough time making the roster, was suspended for performance-enhancing drugs. As is usually the case in these instances, Goodson says he didn’t mean to do it.
“I just want to say sorry for doing something — I didn’t mean to do it, but it still happened. I’ve just got to learn from it and come back ready to play after my four games off. Just try not to look in the past about it, try to move on from it as fast as I can,” Goodson said.
The Pennel suspension affected the Packers in that it essentially made it a necessity for them to address their defensive line depth through the draft. His impending absence, along with B.J. Raji’s retirement, left a large hole in the starting lineup.
That will now likely be filled by first-round pick Kenny Clark.
Goodson’s absence won’t really affect the team one way or another.
Both players can participate through training camp. When the season begins, they can’t practice or play for the first four weeks. They will only be able to work out at the team’s facility.
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Mike Neal… Julius Peppers… Clay Matthews… Demetri Goodson… Mike Pennel…. (on the criminal side = Letroy Guion… Andrew Quarless… that DB….) (on the historical side = Mark Chmura… Brett Favre… Darren Sharper… that DL… that other DB… many others)
Catching PEDs is tough so these 5 are likely just the tip of the Packer iceberg. To be fair, we don’t know if Pennel’s was for PEDs or “just” illegal substances and Matthews was actually implicated in unprescribed painkillers. It is clear there are drug issues on the Packer team including cheating via PEDs. Cheating is a tradition for the Packers — as Jerry Glanville so aptly put it years ago, “That’s the Packers for you, if you ain’t cheating you ain’t trying.”
Goodson is a fringe player and Neal was not resigned but Matthews and Peppers are two of the Packers top 7 players and Pennel is/was a starter.
This Packer team has some good people I respect like Josh Sitton and Jordy Nelson but it has a much higher percentage of criminals, drug abusers, cheaters, and whiners than nearly any other team. And it is coached by a coward and General Managed by a coward as well (see: Scapegoating Brandon Bostick, having lackey call him to cut him). You guys should encourage your kids to be fans of a different team. Almost any other team would be a better role model for your kids.
Pennel was substance abuse, not performance enhancing. I’m pretty sure it was weed.