[Schneed10]

During a routine round of mandatory drug testing last August, Washington's urine sample was flagged as suspicious, and by league rule he was placed in stage one of the NFL's substance abuse program. His urine was classified as diluted -- a potential sign of a player using a masking agent to hide illegal performance enhancers from drug screens. He was subjected to random testing throughout the season, pregame urine testing, and most humiliating, friends say, psychiatric evaluation.

Washington never tested positive, and thus never entered stage two of the program, which often calls for a player to serve a mandatory four-game suspension and to have his name publicized. But people close to Washington say they watched him sink into fits of depression and anger, hurt by the rigidity of a process that treated him as if he were a criminal.

He is now convinced that it ruined his season.

washingtonpost.com