There are three stages of intervention in the NFL, and before last week, LeVeon Bell was believed to be in Stage 2.
That was because Bell was suspended three games, later reduced to two games, to start the 2015 season. That ban was the result of Bell's marijuana arrest in the North Hills in August 2014. Coincidentally, that arrest was recently expunged from his legal record after he completed his 15-month probation.
Depending on your perspective, the good news for Bell is that he's only in trouble with the league this time. But another screw-up, another failed or missed test, and Bell is in Martavis Bryant territory, or Stage 3 of intervention.
The story nicely describes all three stages on how NFL drug testing works. As for Stage 3, the author said: After serving a suspension, players are placed in Stage 3, which unless the medical director chooses to discharge a player from the program, lasts the remainder of a player's career. Like stages 1-2, players are prescribed a treatment plan though testing is now random. A failed test will result in a one-year ban, unless the suspension is for marijuana, in which case it will be 10 games. Bryant was suspended for one year, not 10 games, for multiple failed or missing drug tests.
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