Report: Lett Will Be Suspended Again

Leon Lett may be in trouble again for substance abuse, although the Dallas Cowboys’ star defensive tackle could finish out the 1996 NFL season.

Lett avoided reporters at the team’s training facility Monday, and league and team officials had no comment.

But the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that Lett, suspended for four games last season, has been suspended for a year and is appealing.

If that’s true, league sources said, Lett still could finish the season while his appeal is being considered and, if he loses, miss the 1997 season.

Under the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, substance-abuse testing is undertaken by league drug advisor Dr. Lawrence Brown, who is not an NFL employee.

A first offense is not reported to the team or the league office, and a player is enrolled in the league’s drug treatment program, which involves random testing.

A second test on a player who is cooperating usually means a fine, but not suspension. But if the player hasn’t been cooperating, he then gets a four-game suspension.

In November of 1995, Lett was suspended without pay for four games after he tested positive for drug use.

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An MRI on Emmitt Smith’s right ankle Monday revealed no injury. Still, Switzer said he’d seen Smith play better.

“Emmitt got stung during the game but didn’t want to say anything to me about it,” Dallas coach Barry Switzer said. “He requested the MRI because he wanted things checked out.”

“He (Smith) doesn’t have the quickness he had has in the past,” Switzer said. “He’s obviously bothered by something. His ankle has been hurting.”

He gained just 18 yards on 11 carries in a 20-6 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday and was benched in the fourth quarter in favor of Sherman Williams.

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The Panthers got some unexpected good news. Coach Don Capers said it was possible that offensive tackle Blake Brockermeyer could return to practice as soon as Thursday. Brockermeyer left Sunday’s game with a dislocated left thumb, and the initial prognosis was that he might miss the rest of the season. He underwent surgery Monday to have two pins placed in the thumb and the prognosis was better than anticipated.