Justin Gatlin, the gold-medal winner in the 100-meter dash in the 2004 Summer Olympics, appears ready to try his hand at the NFL.
Gatlin worked out for the Houston Texans on Tuesday, according to an NFL source. Gatlin attended the University of Tennessee but never played football. He tested positive for a banned substance, reportedly testosterone in April of this year, and, although he denied using the substance, he accepted an eight-year ban from track and field.
Gatlin, the world's fastest man and world record holder for the 100-meter dash at 9.76 seconds, tried out at wide receiver for the Texans. Gatlin set the world record in the 100 meters last May before his ban went into affect.
Gatlin would be following a long line of track stars who have attempted to cross over to the NFL. Included among them are John Carlos and Renaldo Nehemiah. Although Nehemiah had some success with the 49ers, none of the track stars ever made a major impact in the NFL after Olympic success.
Nehemiah, who played four seasons for the 49ers, is also Gatlin's agent. Earlier this year when the Philadelphia Eagles inquired about Gatlin playing football, Nehemiah said Gatlin didn't need football. But that was before the eight-year ban.
Gatlin last played football in 10th grade of high school, reportedly quitting the team in a dispute with a coach.
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