NFL News: Houston Texans LB Brian Cushing Denies Using A Banned Substance

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After rewinning the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, Cushing is not defending himself from the positive test for a banned substance.

Cushing tested positive for HCG, the same women’s fertility drug that Manny Ramirez tested positive for last summer. Cushing said he has no idea how the fertility drug got into his body, but that it was something that he would have medically investigated.

HCG can get into the body by injection or can be created by tumors, a thought that scared Cushing throughout the season. “I played the whole season thinking this could not only be my last season, but my last year,” said Cushing.

Dr. Gary Wadler leads the committee that determines the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned-substances list, said there have been cases of malignant testicular tumors producing HCG, however, those cases are extremely rare.

“If he had a tumor that produced HCG, he wouldn’t be playing football,” Wadler said. “He would be under treatment for a malignant tumor.”