Tennessee Titans cornerback Nazeeh Johnson has revealed that a fertility medication he was taking while trying to start a family with his wife resulted in a positive drug test and a six-game NFL suspension.
The NFL suspended Johnson without pay for the first six games of the 2026 regular season for violating its Performance-Enhancing Substances Policy.
The suspension begins on August 30, although Johnson remains eligible to participate in the Titans’ preseason activities and games.
Johnson, 28, explained the circumstances in a statement on X, saying he and his wife had undergone fertility treatment after discovering that he was infertile.
According to the defensive back, he was unaware that the medication he was taking contained a substance prohibited under NFL rules.
Johnson also disclosed that the couple recently suffered the loss of their baby, describing the experience as an extremely difficult period for their family.
Despite the setback, he said he and his wife remain hopeful of having children, noting that they still have nine viable eggs from their fertility treatment.
Johnson used the experience to caution other NFL players about taking medications or supplements without first confirming that they comply with the league’s anti-doping rules.
“Do not put anything in your body without following the process and getting approval beforehand,” he said.
Johnson joined the Titans in July after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. The seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft played 29 games for Kansas City and was part of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning teams.
His suspension means he will miss Tennessee’s opening six regular-season games if he remains on the team’s roster. He is scheduled to become eligible for reinstatement on October 19.
Johnson’s wife said the family appealed the suspension but that the NFL rejected the appeal despite the submission of more than 50 documents supporting their case.
The suspension has placed Johnson in a difficult situation as he prepares to miss the opening weeks of the season while continuing to deal with the personal challenges surrounding the couple’s efforts to start a family.
For the Titans cornerback and his wife, the situation has highlighted the importance of athletes carefully checking the ingredients and regulatory status of any medication they take under NFL rules.
