Najee Johnson has faced a suspension.
However, he claims that his positive test for performance-enhancing drugs wasn’t due to his football activities but rather was linked to personal circumstances within his family.
The defensive back for the Titans, who has played four seasons with the Chiefs, has been suspended without pay for the first six games of the 2026 regular season after breaching the NFL’s PED regulations.
News about his suspension surfaced on Friday. The Titans noted that Johnson would still be allowed to join the team for preseason events, including games. But, he won’t be eligible to play in the regular season until October 19.
In a detailed statement on X, Johnson spoke about his situation, explaining that the positive test stemmed from medications he took while he and his wife were undergoing fertility treatment.
After getting married last June, Johnson took this chance to clarify the circumstances surrounding his positive result and to caution other athletes about the importance of consulting their medications carefully before usage.
“My wife and I were trying to conceive,” Johnson shared. “Upon discovering my infertility, I began taking fertility medications to assist. Unfortunately, I was unaware that these drugs contained banned substances, leading to my positive PED test. This serves as a reminder for all NFL players, especially newcomers: always get approval before consuming anything.”
“A few weeks ago, we lost our baby. It’s been an incredibly challenging period for both of us. On a brighter note, we still have nine viable eggs, and we’re hopeful about growing our family,” he added.
Johnson accepted the positive test result and associated punishment without contest.
Since joining the Titans in July, Johnson has dealt with a shoulder injury that limited his participation to just two games in 2025.
A seventh-round pick in 2022, Johnson had a limited role in 14 games during the regular season and playoffs as part of his Super Bowl-winning team that year.
He sat out the 2023 season due to a torn ACL but had a more substantial presence in 2024, starting six out of 16 regular season matches and achieving 56 tackles, three pass deflections, and one sack.
He also played as a starter when the team made it to the Super Bowl in 2025, notching six tackles across 54 snaps during the playoffs.
