A pair of former Dallas Cowboys lineman got together for a chat, as guard Crawford Ker hopped on the Ross Tucker Football Podcast to talk about yesteryear. The back-and-forth led to a walk down memory lane and dealing with one of the most controversial topics of the 1980s and early 90s — steroids.
Ker admits to have taken steroids during his playing days in the NFL, something he dives into more in his new book “A One Way Ticket.” Steroid use was a huge topic in all of professional sports as leagues worked to get ahead of its usage, sometimes vigilantly and sometimes facetiously.
One of the most glaring things that came about were Ker’s claims as to how many players were actually juicing up.
“I mean, I would probably say 70% of the white guys on the strength positions did it. And maybe 20% of the black athletes did it.”
Ker entered the league as a third-round pick of the Cowboys in the 1985 NFL draft out of the University of Florida. Back in 1985, NFL rosters were limited to 45 players and a quick look shows Dallas employed 51 total players that season.
If the term Ker uses, “strength players”, means offensive and defensive lines, the Cowboys were limited to 17 players that season.
If Ker’s words are true, there would be several teammates who he worked with that could’ve been using. Ker did not state in which year steroids were being used and the numbers above only reflect his rookie season.
Looking back at the Cowboys personnel from that era provides context in which Ker played, but it does not offer definitive insight into individual decisions made by players. More importantly, no specific teammates were identified or accused during the discussion.
Like many topics for earlier eras of professional sports, accounts like Ker’s contribute to an ongoing conversation about how the game has evolved, particularly in terms of health, safety, and league oversight. Today, the NFL maintains strict policies regarding performance-enhancing substances reflecting a significant shift from prior decades.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Seat at the table? Former Cowboy reveals steroid use by many teammates
Reporting by Angel Torres, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
