Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez believes there is a serious “hGH problem” in the National Football League (NFL). Accordingly, he welcomes the administration of the human growth hormone (hGH) blood testing in the NFL. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, every player is tested for hGH use once every year along with random and unannounced out-of-competition testing.
How many players are using hGH?
“It could be 10, it could be a hundred or more; either way, it’s too much. But around the league, you see guys on Sunday, and things don’t add up; they don’t look right,” complained Gonzalez. “I see guys I saw in college, now they’re in the NFL and they look totally different.”
Gonzalez refused to give an estimate of the prevalence of hGH use in the NFL but other players have not been so reluctant. Several players have anonymously estimated that 10-20 percent of players are using hGH (but, not surprisingly, zero percent of their teammates are using hGH).
Several years ago, Washington Redskins offensive tackle Jon Jansen estimated that 15-20 percent of NFL players had used hGH. Tampa Bay Buccaneers fullback Earnest Graham had estimated the that 30 percent had used hGH.
Some people have advocated the use of hGH for therepeutic purposes in professional athletes. (Human growth hormone is thought to speed healing from soft and connective tissue injuries.)
Gonzales does not share this belief. Instead, he believes that eliminating hGH (and steroids) would make the game safer by limiting the strength, size and performance of the players in the NFL.
Sources:
Kravitz, B. (August 9, 2011). Kravitz: HGH testing can lead to safer football. Retrieved from http://www.indystar.com
Rosenthal, G. (December 17, 2009). Earnest Graham thinks 30 percent of all NFL players are using HGH. Retrieved from http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com
