Calvin Johnson’s interview with ESPN’s Michael Smith shed light on a variety of issues currently plaguing the NFL. One of the most pressing issues facing the league is the rampant use of painkillers.

The NFL has a narcotics problem and the league along with team doctors are the two main culprits when it comes to the league’s opioid problem. 

Team doctors hand out pain medication like it’s Halloween candy. From Vicodin to Tordoral, players have abused painkillers for years. Thankfully, access to Tordoral is now restricted because of the dangerous side affects of the drugs. Despite that, players still have access to a variety of other pain killers prescribed by team doctors.

The NFL has swept the pain killer issue under the rug all of these years but the issue needs to be addressed. Pretending like it doesn’t exist only makes things worse. Despite the league’s denial that there is a problem, there are long term consequences for the players.

Roger Goodell and the owners are sitting on a powder keg. If they don’t address this issue soon, it will become a bigger epidemic than it already is. The league is already fighting a P.R battle when it comes to player safety. They cannot allow opioids to become the next crisis the league faces. 

The league is already facing a class act lawsuit by former players claiming they were over prescribed pain medication. The suit has been kept under wraps up until now but this could become the next big challenge facing the league.