Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor says the candidacy of his likely chief rival for NFL defensive player of the year, Shawne Merriman, was tainted by a four-game steroid suspension in November.
“You really shouldn’t be able to fail a test like that and play in this league, to begin with,” Taylor said Wednesday. “To make the Pro Bowl and all the other awards, I think you’re walking a fine line of sending the wrong message.”
Merriman, an outside linebacker for the San Diego Chargers, has denied he’s a steroid cheat and blamed his positive test on a tainted supplement.
“A performance-enhancing drug is, obviously, what it is,” Taylor said. “You enhance your performance by doing that. You fail that test, I think it’s not right, it’s against the rules and ultimately I think it’s sending the wrong message to the youth in America and the people who look at this game not only as entertainment but also to learn lessons from it.”
When told of Taylor’s comments, Merriman said he tries to be a good role model, adding he has taken his punishment for the positive drug test.
“If I wasn’t having the kind of season I’m having, this wouldn’t even be a conversation,” Merriman said. “The NFL will always have the level of integrity. That’s what makes the NFL.”
Merriman leads the league with 16 sacks in 11 games for the AFC West champion Chargers (13-2). He has forced four fumbles and has one interception.
Taylor has been one of the few bright spots this season for Miami (6-9). In 15 games, he has 13 1/2 sacks, 10 fumbles forced and two interceptions, both returned for touchdowns. Taylor made his comments in a conference call with reporters in Indianapolis. The Dolphins conclude their season Sunday against the Colts.
Here’s the latest from Dolphins coach Nick Saban regarding the vacant Alabama coaching job: No comment.
“I’m just making a rule to never comment on something like that again because every time you comment on it, it just makes for another story,” Saban said. “So I’m not going to comment on it, five years from now, and I’m not going to comment on it next week.”
Titans: Rookie quarterback Vince Young was selected AFC offensive player of the week, his first such honor, for his fourth comeback victory in a game that statistically was his best. He completed 10 of his first 11 passes, threw for two touchdowns and had a passer rating of 127.7 against Buffalo.
Raiders: Defensive lineman Warren Sapp has no plans to walk into Al Davis’ office at the end of the season and lobby for Art Shell to get another year as head coach.
Shell’s job security is in question in his first season back with the Raiders (2-13). Sapp said Davis did not seek his input when he fired Norv Turner after last season and doesn’t expect that to change when the owner makes his decision on Shell’s fate after this season.
“How do you go talk to Al about running his organization that he’s been running since before you were born?” Sapp said.
Ravens: Pro Bowl offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden did not practice and will almost certainly sit out Sunday against Buffalo because of a hyperextended big toe. Ogden missed his first game of the season last weekend in Pittsburgh and was listed as doubtful on the injury report.
Vikings: Cornerback Fred Smoot will miss Minnesota’s last game of the season because of a jaw broken in five places from a recent car accident.
The single-vehicle crash, first revealed by coach Brad Childress during his Wednesday news conference, happened in Smoot’s hometown of Jackson, Miss. After the Vikings were eliminated from playoff contention with a 9-7 loss to the Packers last Thursday, players had the holiday weekend off.
Jackson Police Cmdr. Lee Vance said Wednesday that the crash occurred early Saturday morning on Interstate 55.
Bears: Defensive tackle Tank Johnson returned to practice after serving a one-game suspension against Detroit last week.
That punishment came after he was arrested on misdemeanor weapons charges, and then went to a nightclub with a friend who was shot to death.
Cardinals: Veteran quarterback Kurt Warner said he would return in 2007.
“I’ve thought about it a lot, and I’m going to come back and play,” Warner said.
