DJ Williams' Reported Manipulation of Tests Should Lead to Stronger NFL Testing

Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams has been attempting to fight a six-game suspension from the NFL for testing positive for a banned substance. One of the biggest accusations during the case is that Williams tried to manipulate the samples.

John Ingold of the Denver Post reports a federal judge has already denied his initial request based on the reasoning that "subsequent incidents demonstrated [Williams'] ‘common scheme or plan’ to manipulate tests."

Ingold's extended piece on the case also quotes a hearing officer, who believes Williams was attempting to cheat the testing system.

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"The evidence is clear," hearing officer Harold Henderson wrote in the February letter, "that Williams was involved in three separate incidents of attempted substitution of a specimen."

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While the case itself will probably drag out in the courts for quite some time, the NFL has to take note of this situation and make the necessary changes to ensure all of the testing is more secure. There should never be questions about whether a sample in genuine.

As the old saying goes, where there's smoke, there's fire. If the claims are true and Williams has been trying to beat the system, the odds are there are more players attempting to do the same thing—given there are nearly 1,700 players on NFL rosters.

Between the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal and ongoing concussion issues, the league has more than enough problems on its plate to deal with right now. The last thing it needs is a widespread testing failure to damage its reputation.

The NFL is a cash cow. It had $9.5 billion in revenue last season and an overall operating income of $979 million, according to Plunkett Research. That means there's no excuse for not having the highest testing standards available.

The Denver Post report mentions an incident in which Williams brought a bottle into the testing area, dropped it while testing and proceeded to kick it away. How that was allowed in the first place is unknown, but it's a loophole that must be closed.

That's just one example, of course. The overall message the NFL has to send is that when a sample is sent for testing, it's undoubtedly been provided fairly by the player in question. There can't be even a shadow of doubt if the policy is to be taken seriously.

Could the Williams situation be a misunderstanding? Sure, but the league can't take any chances. After watching Major League Baseball go through its own problems and seeing how it impacted the sport, the NFL must eliminate any potential issues before they have a chance to grow.

Keeping the sport clean is the most important thing of all to ensure a level playing field. The NFL should do whatever it takes to make sure it does exactly that.