Shanahan fined $25K for comments in Henry case

Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan has been fined $25,000 by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for making inappropriate comments about the league's substance abuse program.

Henry

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello confirmed the penalty to ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

Shanahan's comments regarding Henry, who on Tuesday won his appeal of a one-year drug suspension, were determined to be in violation of league policy. In November, Broncos running back Travis Henry agreed to take a lie detector test administered by the team and give hair samples for testing. Henry passed the lie detector and his hair samples came back negative for marijuana.

Had Henry failed the lie detector test, Shanahan said he would have considered releasing him, but Henry passed the test and had the full faith of his coach.

Goodell's office said Shanahan's comments were made outside the appeals process and that they supported processes -- hair sample testing and the lie detector -- that are not endorsed by the federally certified lab the NFL uses.

Henry will be able to finish out the remainder of the season with Denver.

"Travis Henry will remain in the substance abuse program, must continue to adhere to all aspects of it, but will not be suspended following his appeal," the NFL announced in a statement Tuesday.

Source: ESPN.com