Empire State of Disarray: New York Teams Lead the List of Pro Sports Substance Abusers

New York City has been lacking in championships in recent years, but it excels in at least one sports-related metric compared to other cities.

Regrettably, it falls into a category that nobody desires to take charge of.

The New York Giants of the NFL and the New York Mets of Major League Baseball have both had the highest number of suspended players and suspension games missed due to drug violations since 2010. The New York Knicks lead all NBA teams in drug-related fines and salary forfeiture during that time period, while the New York Yankees are second only to the Mets in fines and salary forfeiture among all MLB teams in the last 14 years.

Although it may not be as wild as the 1980s or as juice-fueled as the 1990s, the current trend of drug bans in professional sports is moving in a positive direction. However, it is concerning to see a high number of suspensions being handed out to players from one particular city.

Below is a comprehensive analysis of drug violation patterns dating back to 2010, with suspension data provided by Spotrac.

NFL

The G-Men have dominated as the clear winners, with a staggering 85 man-games lost to drug suspensions. This surpasses the combined total of the second and third worst offenders, highlighting the severe challenges faced by the Giants in recent years.

The Indianapolis Colts are in second place with the only other team having double-digit drug infractions. Despite losing 32 games, they rank fifth overall in games lost. Indianapolis has also forfeited the third-highest amount of cash among all teams, trailing only the Houston Texans and the Arizona Cardinals.

The Baltimore Ravens, known as “The Dirty Birds,” have embraced their nickname a bit too enthusiastically. Since 2010, they have accumulated the third-highest number of player suspensions and lost the second-most games due to drug bans.

Carolina ranks fourth on the list with eight drug-related suspensions resulting in a total of 30 games lost and nearly $2.5 million in monetary penalties. Chicago is in a tie for fifth place with seven violations, alongside teams like the New York Jets.

Since 2010, Jerrell Freeman, Jalen Collins and LaRon Landry, three NFL players, have each been suspended three times for substance abuse violations. Collectively, they have missed a total of 78 games and forfeited almost $4.5 million in salary due to these infractions. Additionally, 13 other players have been suspended twice for similar drug violations.

The players in the cornerback and wide receiver positions have received the most suspensions, totaling 50 between the two groups. Following closely behind are defensive tackles with 20 suspensions and defensive ends with 19. Surprisingly, only two quarterbacks have been suspended for drug use in the last 15 years.

DeAndre Hopkins, currently playing as a wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans, holds the record for the highest salary lost due to drug violations in the last 14 years. He forfeited over $5.3 million for his six-game suspension in 2022 while playing for the Arizona Cardinals.

NBA

In contrast to their football counterparts, NBA players have generally followed the rules regarding prohibited substances. There have only been two drug suspensions in the last four seasons, and a total of 11 players have been banned for doping since 2010.

The Memphis Grizzlies have been the only team in the league to have repeated drug offenses during this time period, resulting in two suspensions totaling 30 games, but only $494,233 in fines and lost salary. Other teams with drug suspensions include Phoenix, Washington, Cleveland, Atlanta, Brooklyn, and New Orleans, each with one suspension for 25 games. The Knicks and Orlando Magic had suspensions for 20 games, and the Oklahoma City Thunder had a suspension for 15 games.

In the last 14 seasons, Joakim Noah, DeAndre Ayton, and Hedo Turkoglu have received the highest financial penalties for drug violations, but no player has had more than one violation during this time period. Noah was fined $3.17 million, Ayton $2.17 million, and Turkoglu $2.15 million.

MLB

The New York Mets have suffered the most drug violations and suspensions in Major League Baseball, with two notable repeat offenders primarily responsible for these incidents.

Since 2014, the Mets have lost a staggering 826 man games due to doping bans, surpassing the Houston Astros by nearly a full season’s worth of games. Additionally, the two-time World Series champions have incurred the highest fines and salary forfeitures in baseball since 2010, totaling nearly $29 million lost.

The Mets are joined by the Astros, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, and Baltimore Orioles, as they each have eight drug suspensions. The Yankees and Mets are the only teams with fines and forfeitures exceeding $12 million, with the Yankees leading at $25.3 million.

Jenrry Mejia has become the face of the Mets’ challenges with drug violations. The 34-year-old pitcher made history as the first player to receive a lifetime ban from MLB due to three separate suspensions for substance abuse violations.

Mejia returned in 2018 after being reinstated, but failed to reach the major leagues again and currently plays for the Saraperos de Saltillo in the Mexican League.

Robinson Cano has faced criticism from fans and peers due to two drug suspensions, one while playing for the Mets and the other with the Yankees. He holds the unfortunate title of losing the most money among all players listed, with a total of $34.2 million lost from two suspensions totaling 242 games. Cano is currently playing in the Mexican League.

Only one player has been suspended for PED use in 2024, with Reds prospect Noelvi Marte receiving an 80-game ban in early March.

NHL

There have been only five drug suspensions in the NHL over the last 14 years, making them a rare occurrence.

The Vegas Golden Knights, defending Stanley Cup champions, stand out as the only team on the list to have faced multiple drug-related suspensions. These incidents occurred in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons involving players Nate Schmidt and Valentin Zykov. Since then, there have been no further drug bans in the NHL.

According to the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement, all players are tested twice per season by their respective teams: once during training camp and another time during the season. Teams are not informed in advance of the testing, but it does not occur on game days.

Players may be tested at any time during the season without prior notice, and up to 60 players may be randomly tested during the offseason.