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Brandon Browner's appeal has apparently been rejected, and the Seahawks' cornerback has been suspended indefinitely, effective immediately. Browner had recently turned down a deal offered by the NFL that would have taken three months off of his one-year suspension, and would have made him eligible to return in October 2014.
Reportedly, Browner was seeking to be taken out of the NFL's drug program altogether, and claimed that his recent failed test stemmed from collector errors. Browner was escalated to Phase 3 of the NFL's Drug Testing Program after failing to appear for drug tests while playing in the CFL for the Calgary Stampeders. Browner claims he never received summons for the testing. Apparently, the NFL did not buy any of this, and has decided to go ahead with the suspension.
The league issued a statement:
"Brandon Browner of the Seattle Seahawks has been suspended indefinitely without pay for violating the of NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. Browner's suspension begins immediately. "
I want to thank the Seahawks organization for the incredible opportunity they gave me when they took a chance on a player who was out of the NFL and playing in the CFL for 4 years. I also want to thank all of my teammates, coaches, trainers, staff and the 12's for their support, respect, and friendship and for helping me grow into the player, father, and person I am today. I have been treated with nothing but first class by everyone associated with the Seattle Seahawks and for that I am forever grateful. Although I disagree with the circumstances surrounding my suspension, I accept responsibility for all of my actions and I apologize for any that causes any unflattering reflections of my family and the Seahawks. I believe in my innocence and will continue to fight with all legal resources available to me to. Go Hawks!!!
Browner's agent vowed to fight this suspension as well.
As the great Revolutionary war Admiral J.P. Jones said when refusing to surrender to the British "I have not yet begun to fight" @bbrowner27
— Peter Schaffer (@peterjschaffer) December 19, 2013
Schaffer told Mike Florio of PFT:
"We will continue to exhaust all administrative remedies. If not successful, we will sue the living daylights out of the league."
John Clayton reported essentially the same thing, that Browner's next likely step is to sue the NFL in federal court.
So, things remain up in the air, but it's looking very unlikely at this point that we should expect Browner back on the field for Seattle this season. Luckily for the Seahawks, their depth at defensive back is very good, and in the 10 games Browner has missed this year and last, they're 9-1.
