Randy Gregory Sues NFL and Broncos Over $532,500 Fine for THC Medication Use.
Randy Gregory, a 31-year-old pass rusher now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is suing the NFL and the Denver Broncos for discrimination after being fined $532,500 for taking medication containing THC to manage disabilities during his brief tenure in Denver.
The lawsuit, filed this week in Arapahoe County District Court, alleges that Gregory was prescribed Dronabinol for social anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorders but was denied accommodations to use this medication.
Both the NFL and the Broncos declined to comment on the lawsuit when contacted by The Associated Press on Friday.
Although the NFL no longer suspends players for positive THC tests, THC remains a banned substance that can incur fines. The Broncos are named in the lawsuit, even though teams do not play a role in fining players for drug policy violations. The policy is collectively bargained and enforced by a jointly appointed third-party medical professional.
Gregory was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder in 2021 and with PTSD in February 2023. His March 2023 request to use Dronabinol during non-work hours was denied by the NFL and the Broncos, as was a subsequent therapeutic use exemption request made by his agent, Peter Schaffer, two months later.
Since March 2023, Gregory has been fined $532,500 for repeated positive THC tests. The lawsuit argues that the league’s and the Broncos’ refusal to accommodate his disabilities is discriminatory under Colorado law.
Gregory, a second-round draft pick by the Cowboys in 2015, played five seasons with Dallas, facing multiple suspensions for drug policy violations. He signed with Denver in 2022 but missed most of the season due to a knee injury.
He split the 2023 season between the Broncos and the San Francisco 49ers, who traded for him in October. Gregory, who has 22 career sacks and has appeared in 72 games over seven NFL seasons, signed a one-year deal with the Buccaneers this spring.