Revised NFL drug policies didn’t work out so well for Dallas Cowboys S Jakar Hamilton, who tested positive for marijuana last year

The Dallas Cowboys welcomed back cornerback Orlando Scandrick on Wednesday. The league’s revised drug policies worked out in Scandrick’s favor, and he was able to end his four-game suspension after missing the club’s first two games.



But it didn’t work out for reserve safety Jakar Hamilton, who was also suspended the first four games of the season Aug. 28 for violating the league’s drug policy. Hamilton remains suspended and can’t play until the club’s Week 5 game against Houston.

“First and foremost, I’m happy that Scandrick is back,” Hamilton said. “It’s a blessing. On my case, on my behalf, I was hoping that it worked out. But I misunderstood the policy, things that you can do and what you can’t do, and I take full responsibility for what I got. But at the same time, I only have a week left. It’s kind of gone by fast. It hurts. It hurt me and my family, it hurt the Cowboys, the whole organization, but for another player to come back who was dealing with the same situation, it’s a great blessing to the team, to the whole organization and for him and his family.”

Scandrick tested positive for an amphetamine and that has moved from the performance enhancing drug policy to the substance abuse policy under the revised policies. So with Scandrick, his first-time offense now doesn’t call for a suspension.

For the first time Wednesday, Hamilton clarified why he is in the league’s substance abuse program. Hamilton said he tested positive for marijuana last year before he played for the Cowboys. Hamilton was asked directly on Aug. 28 if he was in the NFL’s substance abuse program after previously testing positive for marijuana and he said no.

Hamilton said his second positive test came this summer because he missed the required test while he was practicing during organized team activities. He appealed the result but was denied. A missed drug test while in the league’s substance abuse program counts as a failed test.

Hamilton previously said he was at Valley Ranch and went into to be tested but the man who was administering the test wasn’t there. Hamilton had said he didn’t miss the test on purpose for fear he would fail it.

“From understanding and reading the rules of it, [the new policies] upped the levels for marijuana or any other recreational drug,” Hamilton said Wednesday. “I know with amphetamines, they put that into [substance abuse], so they just moved it around. I understand on his behalf it was amphetamines. Mine was a different case.

“Mine was a test positive for marijuana before I got here. In that aspect, I’m happy to see [Cleveland receiver] Josh Gordon got his time back. So it worked out for different people with different scenarios and different situations.”

Unlike Scandrick, Hamilton has been allowed to participate in team meetings and be at the Valley Ranch facility. But Hamilton can’t practice with the team.