Ex-49ers receiver Bryant files motion over drug testing

DENVER -- Former San Francisco receiver Antonio Bryant filed a motion Friday asking a federal judge to stop the NFL from disciplining him for allegedly violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Bryant

Last week, Bryant filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against the NFL seeking to stop the league from requiring him to submit to drug testing, arguing the league's policy doesn't apply to him anymore because he is not currently a player.

In the latest filing, Bryant's lawyer, Peter Schaffer, said Bryant received a letter from the NFL on Friday stating that it had set a hearing for Nov. 7 to discuss a positive test on Aug. 16 and a failure to submit to a test on July 12.

Schaffer said the letter was sent in retaliation for Bryant's lawsuit and is "further evidence of the NFL's continued use of bully tactics and coercive and fraudulent behavior".

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy declined to comment.

Schaffer said Bryant wasn't an NFL player and wasn't looking for another job in football from late July through the second week of October. However, he said that Schaffer is currently looking to sign with an NFL team and the fight over testing is making that difficult.

"He's being damaged every day that this is going forward," said Schaffer, who filed the suit in Denver, where he is based.

Bryant was released in March, just one season after he signed a four-year contract with the 49ers worth $14 million.

Bryant caught 40 passes last season for a team-leading 733 yards. But he repeatedly clashed with coach Mike Nolan and was suspended four games for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press