NFL player reveals suspension for Performance Enhancing Drug happened because he was addressing infertility

Nazeeh Johnson's communicative is simply a heartbreaker and not due to the fact that helium learned connected Friday that the NFL is suspending him six games for violating league policy, but due to the fact that that usurpation is seemingly linked to the Tennessee Titans subordinate and his woman trying successful vain to commencement their family.

Hours aft the NFL announced Johnson would beryllium suspended connected Aug. 30 without wage for violating the Performance Enhancing Drug policy, and that helium would not beryllium capable to instrumentality to his squad until Oct. 19, Johnson went connected societal media to explicate wherefore helium tested positive.

Prepare yourself due to the fact that this 1 cuts to the core.

FALCONS' JAMES PEARCE HIT WITH 8-GAME SUSPENSION AS NFL ANNOUNCES WAVE OF BANS ACROSS THE LEAGUE

Kansas City Chiefs information Nazeeh Johnson (13) plays against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL crippled astatine State Farm Stadium successful Glendale, Ariz., connected Aug. 9, 2025. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

"My woman and I were trying to conceive a child," Johnson explained connected X. "We recovered retired that I was infertile, and I took a fertility medicine that was helping maine effort to conceive a baby.

"I was not alert that determination was a substance successful the medicine that was connected the banned list, and I tested affirmative for a PED."

That isn't the worst part.

A root adjacent to Johnson told Fox News Digital that helium and his woman Gabrielle were initially encouraged by the treatments some were taking. It seemed to work. She got pregnant.

But then, tragedy.

"We mislaid our babe a fewer weeks ago, and this has been an incredibly hard clip for my woman and me," Johnson said successful his post.

Gabrielle shared a station connected X showing portion of the regimen she underwent to effort to get pregnant.

"This is existent life," she wrote connected a station that includes video of her injecting medication, having eggs harvested, and yet getting a affirmative gestation trial result.

"This is simply a batch of people’s lives," she continued. "It tin beryllium a gag oregon a accidental to teardrop idiosyncratic down – but for us, it’s our life. There’s nary amusive successful it. Just pain, tears, and recently, disappointment. And that symptom doesn’t extremity erstwhile shot does."

Kansas City Chiefs caput manager Andy Reid against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL crippled astatine State Farm Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

The suspension is not the archetypal clip Johnson's vocation has suffered a important setback.

He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs successful 2022 but was forced to miss each the 2023 play erstwhile helium tore the ACL successful 1 of his knees during grooming camp.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

In 2025, the twelvemonth helium and Gabrielle were married, Johnson's play was chopped abbreviated again erstwhile helium played lone 2 games owed to a enarthrosis injury.

He signed a one-year declaration with the Titans this offseason.

There is, connected the surface, nary portion of this that seems to beryllium thing different than agonizing. But Johnson offered a glimmer of anticipation successful his mentation astir the looming suspension.

Eggs and sperm are stored successful a liquid nitrogen vessel astatine the Fertility Center Berlin. (Jens Kalaene/picture confederation via Getty Images)

"Fortunately, we person 9 bully eggs left," helium said. "So we’re holding connected to anticipation that we’ll beryllium capable to turn our family."

Johnson besides offered immoderate proposal to different NFL players earlier they, too, instrumentality immoderate medicine for immoderate reason.

"Lesson to each NFL players and caller players coming into the league: bash not enactment thing successful your assemblage without pursuing the process and getting support beforehand," helium said.

FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO