After embracing a disappointing 3-point loss against the Philadelphia Eagles weeks ago, the Buffalo Bills are back on track. The team has bounced back like never before and given upsetting defeats to big teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys. Their recent win came against the Los Angeles Chargers, which is very likely to push him towards the playoff scenario.
While basking in the glory of their recent win, the Buffalo Bills, currently second in the AFC East behind the Miami Dolphins, saw their post-game celebrations take an unexpected turn. Seasoned long snapper Reid Ferguson encountered a bizarre situation that grabbed headlines and became the talk of the town.
NFL summons Reid Ferguson for a surprise drug test
The Bills recent 24-22 victory over the Chargers wasn’t the only headline-grabbing moment of the night. Reid Ferguson found himself summoned for an unexpected drug test post-game, via SI.com. The veteran later took to social media to share the surprise, humorously noting that the NFL’s mandate for the test is included in the team’s overarching “Buffalo vs. Everybody” ethos.
Reod Ferguson’s journey in the NFL commenced back in 2016 when he entered the league as an undrafted free agent, securing a place with the Buffalo Bills. Despite initial waivers and subsequent reassignments to the practice squad, he was signed to a reserve/future contract with the Bills in January 2017.
The 29-year-old star’s tenure as the Bills’ primary long snapper began in 2017, and he participated in 112 games as the team’s long snapper from 2017 to 2023. His consistency contributed significantly to the Bills’ special teams’ success, which culminated in an impressive 5th ranking in the NFL during the 2022 season.
Why does the NFL conduct a random drug test in the middle of the season?
The NFL conducts random drug tests throughout the season for various reasons aimed at maintaining the integrity of the sport and ensuring fair play among its athletes. One primary reason is to deter the use of performance-enhancing substances that can provide an unfair advantage on the field.
Besides that, exceptional performances or sudden improvements in player performance might trigger suspicion. When a player significantly exceeds their usual performance levels, the league might opt to conduct a drug test as a precautionary measure. This was evident in instances like Jonathan Taylor’s impressive performance after returning from injury or Jake Browning’s standout performance in Week 15, prompting the NFL to conduct drug tests to ensure compliance with the league’s substance policies.
The NFL keeps a keen eye on players’ public behavior and statements, especially on social media platforms. Instances where players make references to drug-related events or celebrations, like tweeting about “Weed Day” on April 20th, have resulted in the league initiating drug tests for former NFL punter Pat McAfee.
Players who display physical attributes that might raise suspicion may also be selected for drug testing. Kyle Long’s tweet about his bulky arms served as evidence of this, and it resulted in a random drug test during the league’s testing period.
