Report: Documents Link Couch to Doping

Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2007 | 10:04 a.m.

Former No. 1 NFL draft pick Tim Couch had doping regimens that called for anabolic steroids and human growth hormone, according to documents obtained by Yahoo.com.

Couch, cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this month, told Yahoo.com he used HGH for about a week, under a doctor's care, in hopes it would help him recover from shoulder surgery. He denied using steroids or any other banned drugs and said he had never seen the documents.

Yahoo.com reported Tuesday it had obtained documents from an anonymous source with Couch's name printed across the top that called for extensive use of drugs banned by the league. The Web site identified the source as a former associate of Brian Yusem, a nutritionist in Boca Raton, Fla., who Yahoo.com said has worked with Couch since January 2006.

"Just because somebody prints something and says this is the protocol I would suggest doesn't mean somebody has the obligation to do it or did it," Yusem told the Web site, calling the documents "worthless."

Couch's agent, Tom Condon, didn't return a phone call from The Associated Press, and the NFL had no comment.

The documents detail three regimens - 72-day, 80-day and 55-day programs - dated Jan. 26, 2006, Sept. 18, 2006 and Nov. 27, 2006, according to Yahoo.com.

Although Yusem said nothing illegal took place, the source told Yahoo.com that he saw Couch pick up steroids and HGH, as well as get injected with steroids in Yusem's office.

Couch, the No. 1 pick in the 1999 draft, signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars on July 29, and coach Jack Del Rio said then that the former Cleveland Browns quarterback was merely giving the team another quarterback to use during training camp and that he had an outside shot to make the team.

Couch was released three weeks later.

Jaguars spokesman Dan Edwards said Tuesday that Couch's release had nothing to do with the drug allegations.

"It was strictly a personnel decision based on performance," Edwards said.

Couch, who had two shoulder surgeries since February 2005, was 2-of-4 passing for 11 yards in one preseason game and was sacked twice. He also missed practice following that game with a sore back.

Couch told Yahoo.com that he passed a drug test when he signed with the Jaguars. Edwards said the NFL's drug-testing policy is confidential, and results are not shared with teams. Teams are only notified when players are suspended for violating the policy, he said.

Couch said "there's no way in hell" he would have passed a drug test in Jacksonville had he taken what was outlined in the steroid regimens.

"It doesn't matter what that (steroid regimen) says," Couch told Yahoo.com. "It matters what I took. I know what I took and what I didn't take."