NFL clears James Harrison, Clay Matthew, Julius Peppers in Al-Jazeera PED investigation

ByABC News
August 31, 2016, 2:30 PM

— -- The NFL has found "no credible evidence" that the Steelers' James Harrison and the Packers' Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers used or were provided with prohibited substances after an investigation into allegations made in a documentary by Al-Jazeera.

The three players were interviewed last week at their team facilities.

Harrison reacted on social media later Wednesday:

An NFL statement said the investigation, which started in January, "involved witness interviews, a review of relevant records and other materials, electronic research, and laboratory analysis and review.''

After the interviews last week, a source close to the situation told ESPN that the players were not confronted with any new evidence or allegations.

Free-agent defensive end Mike Neal is the other player the league interviewed in connection with its investigation into Al-Jazeera report. Neal is still being investigated by the league for a connection with Charlie Sly, a league source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Sly was the Indiana pharmacist at the center of the Al-Jazeera documentary, which aired Dec. 27.

The league interviewed retired quarterback Peyton Manning, who also was named in the report, earlier this offseason and issued a statement last month clearing his name.

Major League Baseball players Ryan Howard and Ryan Zimmerman, who also were named in the report, were also publicly cleared by MLB in August after it concluded its investigation.