Eagles

UPDATE: Garrett Reid, Who was Working as an Assistant Strength Coach for the Eagles, Had Steroids in His Room When He Died

By Kyle Scott

Published: Dec 17th, 2012 · 1:14 PM EST

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Photo: AP

Now it’s appropriate to ask questions.

In October, just a day after officials confirmed that Garrett Reid had died of an accidental heroin overdose and said that a gym bag containing 19 vials of a clear, unknown liquid and syringes was found in his room, a Daily News article by Jason Nark raised an alarming question: Was the substance steroids?

A “law enforcement source familiar with drug investigations” told Nark that it could be. 

Today, Tom Shortell of The Express-Times is reporting that to be the case:

Sources familiar with the investigation say Garrett Reid, the son of Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid, was in possession of steroids when he died Aug. 5 during Eagles training camp at Lehigh University.

Authorities have identified the substances in some of the vials as steroids, sources said. One source requested anonymity because that person is not authorized to release the information. 

 

Garrett was in Lehigh working, unofficially, as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Eagles.

In post about that buried paragraph in Nark’s story, I wrote the following: Of course, if those 19 vials turn out to be steroids – a big if at this point – the story will be written this way, whether fair or not: Eagles assistant strength coach had a gym bag full of steroids at training camp. 

And now it can be written. And questions can be asked.

Jeff McLane of Philly.com tweets that a PA prosecutor will hold a press conference today to give an update on the investigation into Reid's death. Presumably, he will say that there were steroids in Reid's room.

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Oddly, as this story broke today, Michael Vick, who hasn't spoken to the media in weeks, at first told reporters he wouldn't speak until Wednesday, and then suddenly, he changed his mind. Wonder why. Guessing one PR person wanted to wag that dog. No pun intended, of course.

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UPDATE: Lehigh Valley Live kept a nice live blog of the press conference and here’s what was said.

DA John Morganelli said that the substances in the vials were various types of anabolic steroids, which, he explained, could by used for various bodybuilding effects and that some are easier to detect than others.

Morganelli said there was no evidence that Reid was giving the steroids to anyone else. Neither the Eagles nor the NFL have contacted the DA.

The steroids present were: testosterone propionate, boldenone undecylenate, nandrolone phenyl propionate, trembolone acetate.

There will be no more official investigation into the steroids since they did not cause the Garrett Reid's death.

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I don’t have to connect any of those dots for you. But I’m guessing the NFL may take a crack at it.