ASHBURN (Va.) -- Ryan Vermillion, Washington Football Team's trainer, is the subject of an investigation by Drug Enforcement Agency. A source told ESPN that Vermillion was involved in prescription drug distribution.
Vermillion is not allowed to distribute prescription drugs as a trainer and not as a nurse practitioner or physician. A physician cannot distribute them to patients who are not authorized to use them.
This development was first reported by WRC-TV in Washington.
Vermillion's Washington office was raided by the DEA along with his home on Friday afternoon. Ron Rivera, the Washington coach, said that he wasn't at the facility at that time but multiple players were still present. The organization placed Vermillion on administrative leave on Monday.
Vermillion spent nine seasons with Rivera in Carolina before joining him in Washington in January 2020. Washington's chief medical officers are Anthony Casolaro, and Chris Annunziata serves as the head physician. Bubba Tyer was the team's trainer from the 1970s to 2009 and has now retired to help.
The DEA randomly checked three NFL hospitals after a game in 2014 to determine if there were any medical personnel. This was part of an investigation into drug distribution without prescriptions. Also, the Transportation Security Administration was involved in the search.
According to an Associated Press report, agents asked for documentation from visiting teams' medical staffs regarding controlled substances they had. Agents also requested proof that doctors were allowed to practice medicine in the state of the home team.
The search was prompted by a spring lawsuit on behalf ex-NFL players. According to the AP, there were more than 1,200 plaintiffs at that point.
On Wednesday, the NFLPA stated that it had requested information from the NFL regarding the substance and referred to it as a safety and health issue.
Washington released a statement stating that the investigation was not related to the team.
