NFL To Begin HGH Testing on Monday

In news that may have an impact on on teams in the upcoming weeks, the NFL and the NFL Players Association announced their plans to crack down more on performance enhancing drugs by testing players for human growth hormones (HGH).

Per the NFL's website:

"As you know, the new Performance Enhancing Substances Policy includes HGH testing. Testing for HGH will begin on Monday, October 6th," NFLPA president Eric Winston said in a letter to players. "Each week of the season, 5 players on 8 teams will be tested. No testing will occur on game days. We negotiated to ensure that the methodology of testing be conducted in the most professional and safest manner for players. Importantly, after three years of negotiating, players won the right to challenge any aspect of the science behind the HGH isoforms test in an appeal of a positive test."

Depending on exactly who you listen to, the use of HGH is somewhere between rare and overly rampant. At the very least, I would think that some players may suddenly begin healing slower from short and long-term injuries.

Regardless of how new testing will curb HGH use, the Falcons defense is in a unique position. They play so poorly it would be a stretch to even think they take multivitamins, let alone a heavy-duty hormone intended to increase athletic ability. Seriously, if half of the defense tested positive for HGH multiple times, I still would not believe it.

Is more drug testing good for the NFL? And can we give HGH to Mike Nolan's defensive scheme?