Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams probably should have taken the deal that was offered to former teammate Ryan McBean. If it had been available.
Both filed suit against the NFL following the imposition of six-game suspensions for violation of the league’s policy regarding banned substances. McBean settled his claim by accepting a three-game suspension. Williams didn’t get the opportunity to do so, so he pushed forward.
And now a judge has pushed Williams’ claim out of court.
Judge Christine M. Arguello dismissed the case today, granting the NFL’s motion for summary judgment.
Peter Ginsberg, who represents Williams, tells PFT that Judge Arguello deferred to the NFL’s in-house review process, explaining that she has no authority to substitute her judgment for the judgment of NFL executive Harold Henderson, who handled the internal appeal. Ginsberg said that Judge Arguello also noted that Williams had received a full and fair hearing.
“We are considering an appeal,” Ginsberg said.
The suit came after the league concluded that the players had submitted “non-human” urine specimens during steroids testing. Williams had alleged that the league failed to seal the sample in his presence, failed to document the time the sample was provided, failed to secure Williams’ initials on the seal on the side of the specimen container, failed to establish the whereabouts of the sample for as long as two hours and 50 minutes, and failed to indicate the time the sample was received by FedEx. Williams also claimed that Henderson’s partiality was undermined by the fact that NFL general counsel Jeff Pash directed Henderson to delay the issuance of a ruling following the December 13, 2011 appeal hearing.
McBean signed with the Ravens following the settlement of his claim. Williams, barring a legal miracle, will be unavailable for the first six games of the 2012 regular season, missing contests against the Steelers, Falcons, Texans, Raiders, Patriots, and Chargers.
