Former Texas A&M University-Commerce (then East Texas State University) standout quarterback Wade Wilson has been suspended five games by the NFL and fined $100,000 for using a banned substance.
In 1980, Wilson led the Lone Star Conference in passing with 1,978 yards.
Wilson is currently the quarterbacks’ coach for the Dallas Cowboys and was a player in the league for 18 seasons.
According to Wilson, he was using the banned substances to help treat the diabetes he has been living with for more than 20 years.
The New York Daily News reported that Wilson received human growth hormones in 2004 when he was the quarterbacks’ coach for the Chicago Bears.
Wilson was noted as saying he has had problems with fatigue, kidney functions, sleep and vision and purchased the substances last fall for help.
A quote from Wilson on dallascowboys.com has him saying he never said anything about taking human growth hormones, only a banned substance.
Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and offensive assistant Wes Phillips will work with quarterbacks Tony Romo and Brad Johnson until Wilson returns Oct. 9.
Wilson disputes any notion that he may have been taking the substances for anything but to improve his life.
A story by espn.com has Wilson saying, “I wasn’t taking the product to enhance performance. I am way past that. I was taking it to try to improve my quality of life. “At no time did I think I was doing anything illegal or against league policy.”
This is not great news for the Dallas Cowboys as the first week of regular season football is upon us. The Cowboys open their season at home on Sunday against the New York Giants.
One good thing for the Cowboys is that it was not a player that got caught using a banned substance, as in the case of Patriots safety Rodney Harrison.
News came from an investigation by Albany (N.Y) District Attorney that Wilson, Harrison and former Pittsburgh Steelers doctor Richard Ryzde were all in an Internet pharmaceutical distribution ring of steroid and other performance enhancing drugs.
Wilson said when he had a meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, he was very truthful about the fact and did not deny ever taking the product.