Titans’ Nazeeh Johnson says positive PED test was result of banned fertility drug

Tennessee Titans defensive back Nazeeh Johnson will miss the first six games of the 2026 season. The NFL suspended him Friday for violating its policy on performance-enhancing substances. Johnson responded with a statement on X that explained the positive test. He said he took a fertility medication while he and his wife were trying to have a child. He did not know the medication contained a banned substance. The suspension begins after Tennessee cuts its roster to 53 players on Aug. 30. He can be reinstated on Oct. 19. What Nazeeh Johnson said about his positive PED test Jul 22, 2025; St. Joseph, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs safety Nazeeh Johnson (13) walks down the hill to the practice fields during training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters) “My wife and I were trying to conceive a child,” Johnson wrote. “We found out that I was infertile, and I took a fertility medication that was helping me try to conceive a baby. I was not aware that there was a substance in the medication that was on the banned list, and I tested positive for a PED.” The 28-year-old also warned other players. “Lesson to all NFL players and new players coming into the league: do not put anything in your body without following the process and getting approval beforehand,” he wrote. Johnson then shared a personal loss. “We lost our baby a few weeks ago, and this has been an incredibly difficult time for my wife and me,” he wrote. “Fortunately, we have nine good eggs left, so we’re holding on to hope that we’ll be able to grow our family.” The Winchester Star reported the drug was Clomid. Johnson learned of the positive test in February. He appealed on July 22 and signed with Tennessee on July 27. The suspension came after that appeal was heard. Clomid and other NFL PED suspensions tied to fertility drugs Indianapolis Colts defensive end Robert Mathis (98) served a PED suspension in 2014 for use of the same drug. Credit: Photo By Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports Clomid is the brand name for clomiphene citrate. It is approved for female infertility caused by ovulatory disorder. The FDA has not approved it for men. Doctors still prescribe it to men off-label to raise sperm count and sperm movement. It can also raise testosterone, so anti-doping agencies ban it. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency lists clomiphene as a hormone and metabolic modulator. The league does allow players to apply for a therapeutic use exemption. That approval lets a player take a banned substance for a medical reason. Johnson did not have one because he did not know the drug was on the list. Two other NFL players have been suspended over the same drug. Colts pass rusher Robert Mathis served four games in 2014 after testing positive for Clomid. His agent said Mathis took it only for fertility, and his wife was pregnant at the time. Giants wide receiver Golden Tate served four games in 2019. Tate said he started a prescribed treatment and learned days later that it contained a banned ingredient. He stopped taking it and reported it to the league before the test was confirmed. His appeal was denied. Johnson can still play in the rest of the preseason. He had five tackles in Tennessee’s 19-13 win over the 49ers on Thursday and took 37 of his 38 defensive snaps at outside cornerback. The Marshall product signed a one-year deal worth $1,075,000 in July, with a base salary of $716,667. Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi was Kansas City’s assistant general manager when the Chiefs drafted him in the seventh round in 2022. — Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —