Team Aware of the Cushing Issue, According to Texans Owner

Owner of Houston Texans, Robert McNair, said that the team was well aware of the issues faced by Brian Cushing with the NFL during the 2009 season.  However, they did not have any details about the issue from the NFL. Steroid policy violations Texans linebacker Cushing had to face some issues on steroid policy violations, and had been suspended by the league in violation of the said policy. Cushing had admitted that he took some non-steroidal substance, one of which has already been banned and considered by the league to be performance enhancing. At the end of the season, Brian Cushing of Houston Texans was voted as the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press, as part of the annual awards by the AP, in honor of the excellent performance by the players on field. Due to the penalty and the admission, AP is holding a revote for the defensive rookie award, including the All-Pro outside linebacker. For the category, Cushing became part of the second team. He is still considered to be among the revote nominees. Landslide winner For the rookie award balloting done through a panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who covered the league, Cushing was the landslide winner. He was able to secure up to 39 votes, overwhelming Jairus Byrd of Buffalo who only had six votes. AP’s managing editor for sports and entertainment, Lou Ferrara, states that this is the very first time that they were able to face an issue like this one. Since the awards are based mainly on performance on-field, he finds it very crucial to go through the matter again and to perform a revote. These concerns had actually been put forth by the majority of the voters. The appeal process and the suspension have been criticized by Robert McNair, citing how the process does not give the team enough information. He says that the team is left in the dark due to such questionable processes and that they have not even been notified. What they know so far is only what is being announced at this point in time. For the 2010 season, Cushing is facing suspension without pay during the first four games. This decision came through even though he says he took the substance in September, which is the first month for the 2009 schedule. Cushing appealed his case and the final judgment was finally proclaimed last week.

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