NFL Reinstates 5 Players Who Failed Drug Tests

All-Pro football players Lawrence Taylor and Bruce Smith and three others who were suspended for 30 days when they failed National Football League drug tests during the exhibition season were reinstated Tuesday.

NFL spokesman Joe Browne said that Taylor, a linebacker for the New York Giants, and Smith, a defensive end for the Buffalo Bills, were returned to the active rosters, along with linebacker Emanuel King and cornerback Daryl Smith of the Cincinnati Bengals and receiver John Taylor of the San Francisco 49ers.

All five were on their teams’ non-football illness list and missed this season’s first four games.

All will be eligible to play this weekend but face a permanent ban--with the option of petitioning for reinstatement--from the NFL if they violate the league’s drug policy again.