UPDATE: Falcons waive linebacker Robert James
Robert "The Beast" James gives chase in an exhibition game against Jacksonville on Sept. 2, 2010. (AP Photo/Stephen Morton)
UPDATE
The Falcons waived linebacker Robert James on Tuesday.
EARLIER
FLOWERY BRANCH – Falcons linebacker Robert James reported back to the team at 9:30 a.m. on Monday.
He missed the first four games of the season for violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances.
“What it was, I went to a doctor back in Phoenix,” James told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “They drew my blood and said my testosterone level was low. They give me a shot to boost it back up. I was told it was a natural substance and that it wasn’t going to hinder anything or violate any rules.”
But the shot did have something in it to violate the policy?
“Yes, yes,” James said.
James, 26, spent his suspension back home in Phoenix. He returned to Atlanta on Sunday night. The team said they had a roster exemption and would make a decision on James by the end of the week.
“I’m happy to be back in the building and getting back into the swing of things,” James said. “It was hard not being able to be here with my teammates. It was something that I had to do. I had to go back home and get my body back in shape and be ready to come back.”
The team has not told him if he has a role on the team. Before the suspension he had a shot at landing a roster spot as a backup linebacker and special teams player.
“I was just told to be back in the building today at 9:30 and I’m here,” James said when asked if he was told of his role.
James was picked in the fifth round (138th overall) of the 2008 draft out of Arizona State. He missed his rookie season after suffering a concussion.
He spent the majority of 2009 on the practice squad before being promoted to the 53-man roster on Dec. 29, 2009.
“It’s been difficult after practicing all of the camp with them and going through OTAs and everything to where you couldn’t even be in the building,” James said. “It was kind of hard.”
James has exceptional speed and striking ability. With Jason Snelling taking on a more prominent role in the offense, the special teams unit needs another top flight coverage man.
“I’m willing to do whatever they need me to do,” James said. “I will contribute in any why that I can.”
Get instant updates on Twitter at AJCFalcons and you can join the Facebook Fan page at AJC Falcons.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
82 comments Add your comment
Skee
October 5th, 2010
4:03 pm
I feel he should have investigated this testosterone injection a little bit more before he recieved it. But, it turned out to be a bad situation on his behave. I’m sorry this happened to him, and I’m glad he’s back. Now it’s time to get soaring and cracked some heads. Like the way the Falcons are heading and hope they keep it going. Let’s go James and let’s go FALCONS…………………..
ReddJonn68
October 5th, 2010
4:11 pm
With the Falcons not coming clean on Spoon’s health, we could use another set of fresh legs out there to spell the LB corp or be ready if someone else gets dinged up. Good luck James, they must have kept you around for something if you missed the entire season !!! Not to mention special teams we haven’t been looking too good on STs, besides FG unit, don’t forget a blocked punt almost cost us. After watching the worse ST performance ever last night on MNF, the whole nation knows how important they are now !!!!
TXDawg (The Real TXDawg)
October 5th, 2010
4:13 pm
Hey Willy….I got a tetanus shot in Mexico and felt wonderful afterwards!
SAINTS LSU
October 5th, 2010
5:10 pm
@ Falcon Jim the truth hurt’s
rainbow party
October 5th, 2010
5:21 pm
here’s some words chucktown said used compleatly out of contrast “, rub my head while comming”
Stockdog
October 5th, 2010
5:30 pm
What happened to Michael Jenkins, wasn’t he supposed to be back by now?
alanfalcon
October 5th, 2010
5:35 pm
Doctors are not pharmacist, so don’t think that many of them have a clue unless they have a pharmaceutical degree as well.
I was a detail rep for 12 years, job was to provide doctors information about the drugs I represented, belive me they don’t keep up with the make up of the drugs. FACT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chucktown
October 5th, 2010
7:01 pm
I wonder if rainbow party has a deeper meaning??? OOPs I did say deeper hope you don’t get to worked up on that one too.
Reid Adair
October 5th, 2010
7:27 pm
I don’t by Robert James’ “explanation” for failing his test. I’m also not disappointed to see the Falcons waive him.
Tweets that mention UPDATE: Falcons waive linebacker Robert James | Atlanta Falcons -- Topsy.com
October 5th, 2010
7:36 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Nicholas Martin, D. Orlando Ledbetter and D. Orlando Ledbetter, D. Orlando Ledbetter. D. Orlando Ledbetter said: Exclusive: Robert James talks about his suspension http://t.co/VE1zeNd [...]
Falcon Jim
October 5th, 2010
7:47 pm
Saints LSU, nothin hurtin me……………………
FalconsFan284
October 5th, 2010
8:23 pm
The Saints need linebackers and he is probably good enough to start for them. He is already making excuses for different things so he should fit right in!
Sid
October 5th, 2010
8:47 pm
This has got to be strictly a character decision……………………….
Arthur Blank
October 5th, 2010
8:48 pm
We will not have anyone with baggage on the team (I still don’t understand why Babineaux is still here.) That’s why we were not interested in having criminals like T.O. or Vincent Jackson on our team despite the fact that they could help us win a Super Bowl.
waynester
October 5th, 2010
8:51 pm
If we’re set on bringing back a linebacker, I say bring back Bear Woods…otherwise, we seem to have adequate depth at the position….
ET
October 5th, 2010
9:36 pm
I have been diagnosed with low testosterone. I am given shots and I rub some Andro-gel on my stomach every day. Either of these methods violates the NFL drug ban. His excuse is 100% believable. When the doctor runs blood tests and tells you that you have low testosterone & that he will get the level back up with natural testosterone, one believes it isn’t a bad thing. Evidently the NFL wants every player with low testosterone to stay that way. What a Crock!!!!!!! They are as bad as the NCAA…
DePlane
October 5th, 2010
9:52 pm
Babs is still here because he is the best DT in the NFC South and maybe the NFC. He won’t get another chance so he better make best use of this one.
Timbo
October 5th, 2010
10:31 pm
AJC pumped him up . . . he gets released. Sounds plausible!
Football
October 5th, 2010
11:19 pm
That’s messed up. They could have told him that was coming. I think they could have used him especially now. Go figure.
Falcons Chic
October 6th, 2010
1:12 am
Why make him report if you are going to waive him? Have to get him in the building for actual signatures? He could have been looking for another job.
I, too, like Bear Woods, but what’s the cost of the flight? the hassle? Just wondering what the point was…
Reggie
October 6th, 2010
4:57 am
Bear Woods? Give me Bear Grylls…dude is the real “beast”. Any man who can take on the “wild” can certainly make a tackle on 3rd and inches!
GregKennesaw
October 6th, 2010
5:58 am
TD and Smith always meet with a player and tell him why he is being cut. There was probably paperwork that needed to be signed. I don’t think he was let go because of the suspension, he would have been on the bubble anyway. look all he was last year was practice squad and special teams. don’t make this out to be more than it is. if they added him to roster, then they have to cut someone else. who was that going to be?
Paddy
October 6th, 2010
6:55 am
During the 2 to 3 day wait to get the blood work results; did james call anyone to check on this type of treatment for low testtosterone. The Falcon, the NFL, the players union, his agent, ANYBODY? With his career on the line he just goes it alone with no verification! Falcons don’t need this MENSA student.
LawdhamMercy
October 6th, 2010
7:08 am
WE NEED A RB OR WR. Go get Randy Moss. Why aren’t we looking for help opposite Roddy White. We can get more points with a big WR.
Flo-Ri-Duh!
October 6th, 2010
7:51 am
Randy Moss is being traded to the Vikings…. Falcons wouldn’t take on that huge contract any way.
waynester
October 6th, 2010
8:01 am
floriduh
Read last night that Moss would have to sign a contract extension in Minn and that’s what was holding up the deal. With an (likely) uncapped season the contract could be heavily front-loaded to relieve any cap pressure, but it’s still seems unlikely for ATL to go that route.
DePlane
you nailed it on Babineaux–if he was a middling player, he’d be on another roster by now….
Reggie
Grylls–funny stuff. No, seriously, I thought Woods was an excellent ST prospect–he has great speed and really flies around the ball on most every play…
Buzz G
October 6th, 2010
8:37 am
It was right to let this guy go. The athlete who takes steroids and then competes with clean athletes is about like the Mexican who sneaks across the border and then competes with legal immigrants for jobs.
auparson
October 6th, 2010
8:42 am
I’m not complaining about the Falcon’s decision, but why give him hope and make him fly all the way from Arizona only to waive him?
Sid
October 6th, 2010
9:31 am
auparson, the Falcons probably paid for the flight. They are a class act, you don’t fire someone over the phone or via text or fax. Just seems there is more to this than we are being let in on.
Diogenes
October 6th, 2010
10:12 am
An awful lot of cynics on this blog.
Chop Buster
October 6th, 2010
12:55 pm
Next time he’ll leave the hemp alone.
That Dude
October 6th, 2010
6:22 pm
The Falcons have signed Robert James to the practice squad and terminated the contract of Shawnbrey McNeal #atlcle10