Roy Williams Admitted To HGH Use; Defensive Line Coach Jay Hayes Connected As Well

After Hue Jackson was promoted as the Oakland Raiders head coach, he was forced to cut ties with a supplements company selling a "product containing a banned substance". The banned substance is IGF-1, a byproduct of HGH.

The website for Sports With Alternatives To Steroids says "The Ultimate Spray" includes IGF-1, a byproduct of human growth hormone that is banned by the NFL. According to ThePostGame.com's report on Wednesday, Jackson began endorsing the company when he was an assistant with the Baltimore Ravens from 2008 to 2009, and ended his connection to SWATS this month.

It might seem that the story could end there, nothing more than the NFL wishing to cut ties with a supplemental company. Unfortunately there could be more to it from a Cincinnati Bengals perspective. From a Yahoo! Sports report, the Post Game writes that S.W.A.T.S. owner Mitch Ross gave "The Ultimate Spray" to Bengals defensive line coach, Jay Hayes in 2008.

“In April of '08 I gave various alternatives to steroids, including spray, to Hue Jackson at the Ravens’ training camp,” Ross said. “I also gave the spray to Jay Hayes of the Bengals and Anthony Lynn of the Jets. I want to prove that my protocol reverses the aging process on aging athletes and promotes the healing of injuries in a legal manner.”

Roy Williams admitted to using it multiple times, saying “I use the spray all the time. Two to three times a day. My body felt good after using it. I did feel a difference."

Asked about IGF-1 being listed on the S.W.A.T.S. site, Williams said, “I didn’t know it was on there. I’ve never failed a drug test. I don’t want to be associated with something that is banned. Kids look up to me.”

According to PFT, the substance will only show up in a blood test, which the NFL does do.

Williams has never tested positive with the NFL, which is no surprise.   The author of the original Yahoo! piece Eric Adelson explained on Shan Shariff’s show in 610 Sports in Kansas City that the substance would only show up in blood tests.

Ray Lewis was also connected with using the spray in Yahoo! Sports' report.

Williams is an unrestricted free agent who the Bengals could make a run for a third season because of the team's lack of overall safety depth. The only safeties signed for 2011 are Tom and Reggie Nelson and Chris Crocker.