DEA stages surprise drug probe on at least two NFL teams

Federal drug-enforcement agents conducted surprise inspections of at least two NFL teams on Sunday as part of an investigation into claims of abuse of prescription drugs, according to multiple reports.

At least two teams' medical staffs were questioned Sunday: those of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who played the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field, and the San Francisco 49ers, who played the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.

The Associated Press is reporting the investigation is connected to former players' claims that teams have mishandled prescription drugs.

The Washington Post added that the inspections included bag searches and questioning of team doctors by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents in cooperation with the Transportation Security Administration.

Although the investigation included the Buccaneers and 49ers, other teams were said to be investigated per both reports. The reports also suggest there could be possible distribution of drugs without prescriptions or labels, as well as possible dispensing of drugs by trainers rather than licensed physicians. Federal law prohibits anyone but a physician or nurse practioner from distributing prescription drugs, and there are several restrictions on how the drugs might be distributed.

A lawsuit that alleged the NFL — as well as its teams, physicians and trainers — acted improperly in regard to players' health was filed in May on behalf of more than 1,200 former NFL players ranging from 1968 to some who played as recently as the 2012 season, which spurred the investigation. There is a five-year statute of limitations, so criminal investigations would apply to only anyone who might have violated federal drug laws back to 2009.

Per the Post report, agents started interviewing NFL physicians in several locations after reviewing materials from the lawsuit. Players reportedly described reckless behavior from team doctors — being given unlabeled medications, combining medications dangerously, teams filling out prescriptions erroneously or deceptively, trainers administering drugs, and medications handed out to players who had consumed alcohol as well.