After a blowout loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 5, the Chicago Bears have been hit with news that defensive end Montez Sweat has been suspended for two games for a violation of the NFL's performance-enhancing substance policy.
Sweat is a first-time offender under the league's PED policy, but if he tested positive for a steroid of any sort, his suspension would be longer than two games. What caused his positive test will probably never be known unless he reveals it publicly.
Head coach Ben Johnson acknowledged Sweat's suspension during his press conference on Wednesday, adding that he had nothing more to add beyond the disappointment of losing a key defensive player for a couple of games.
According to ESPN's Courtney Cronin, Johnson said "not that I'm aware of" regarding if Sweat will appeal his suspension.
Is Montez Sweat actually planning to appeal his suspension?
Appearing on 104.3 The Score's "Rahimi and Grote" Wednesday, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio suggested Sweat is exploring an appeal of his two-game suspension along a very narrow distinction.
"This is a strange situation", Florio said, "because, usually, we only find out about a suspension when the appeals have been exhausted, and it's just matter of serving the time, whatever it may be, under the PED policy."
"I had a conversation with someone earlier, that indicated to me they are exploring a potential appeal that would, as I understand it, split the hairs between the PED policy and the substance abuse policy."
Florio acknowledged some technicalities in play, while also acknowledging he doesn't fully understand the details that would drive the appeal (you and me both, sir). But the possibility exists that Sweat will pursue an appeal, apparently rooted in the suggestion that he violated the league's substance abuse policy rather than the performance-enhancing substances policy.
During a subsequent appearance on ESPN 1000, Cronin said she hadn't heard anything regarding an appeal from Sweat. Since it has been roughly 24 hours since the news came out, an appeal does seem unlikely.
Depending on the angle, Sweat may or may not be taking an appeal of his suspension, and what he's going to say about what triggered the positive test; alcohol-related first-time violations of the NFL's substance abuse policy have typically garnered a three-game suspension. But that has also typically come with a public legal element that wouldn't be in play if alcohol wasn't the reason for Sweat's violation, and there's no indication of anything along those lines.
All in all, if he is building an appeal of his suspension, navigating what could be a narrow space between the performance-enhancing substance and substance abuse policies hardly seems worthwhile for Sweat.
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In terms of suspension length, it might be a distinction without a difference. And the size of the proverbial Scarlett Letter attached to his name won't really change either.
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