Why is Travis Henry still playing football? Is smoking pot ok in the NFL now? Is the NFL getting its drug policy cues from MLB?

Shanahan vouched for Henry yesterday, saying,  "If I thought the test was positive, Travis would not be on our football team" after the team administered it's own hair test and polygraph. Thanks coach, like no one thinks you wouldn't do whatever it takes to keep your star running back on the field. Henry failed a random drug test in early October. Setting up a non-random, team sanctioned test 6 weeks later does not inspire a lot of confidence.

Travis Henry was suspended in earlier in the year, but went to court for an injunction to keep him playing. The league already has an appeals process, so I'm not sure why this judge sent down an injunction, but the NFL can't be to happy with its players going outside the union for redress. The whole point of a union (well, at least 50% of the point) is to solve problems internally. If Henry's appeal is overturned, look for him to be done with the NFL.

The NFL does a pretty good job keeping players out of trouble, and trouble players out of the league. Once this comes back from the courts they need to send a clear message that drugs, and external court appeals will not be tolerated. The NFL scores should be the headlines, not the conduct of its players.