Titans' Nazeeh Johnson says fertility medication led to six-game NFL suspension for PED violation
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- NFL suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Nazeeh Johnson for the first six regular-season games without pay for violating the league's performance-enhancing substances policy; the ban begins Aug. 30 and he is eligible for reinstatement Monday, Oct. 19.
- Johnson took to social media Friday evening to explain that the banned substance came from a fertility medication he was taking after learning he was infertile while trying to conceive with his wife.
- Johnson and his wife lost their baby a few weeks ago but have nine eggs remaining and are holding onto hope of growing their family.
- Johnson was one of four players the NFL suspended on Friday; the 28-year-old is listed as a third-string cornerback on Tennessee's first depth chart.
- Johnson tied for the team lead with five tackles in the Titans' 19-13 preseason victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night.
- Johnson signed with the Titans less than a month ago after spending his first four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he won two Super Bowls before a shoulder injury limited him to two games last year.
Why it matters: The suspension costs Johnson six game checks and deepens a cornerback room that already listed him third-string, while his disclosure puts a human face on male infertility — a subject NFL players almost never surface publicly.
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