Stephen Holder

stephen.holder@indystar.com

ATLANTA — Indianapolis Colts linebacker Robert Mathis' violation of the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy, at its core, was no different than any other player's, commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday.

Asked at the conclusion of the NFL's spring owners meetings about Mathis' contested suspension — he claims he took the drug Clomid as a fertility aid, not as part of steroid use — Goodell made no distinction in spite of the supposed unique circumstances surrounding Mathis' failed test.

"The first principle of our joint drug program with the players association is you're responsible for what's in your body," Goodell said. "There are several avenues for you to contact people in advance to determine whether you should or should not take a particular drug. And we have a process set up."

Mathis claims he relied on a urologist's advice when deciding to take Clomid, which the NFL prohibits. His wife, according to Mathis' camp, was unable to take fertility drugs because of a medical condition that would make multiple births extremely high risk. Fertility drugs increase the likelihood of having multiples.

Goodell said the players union approached him to be the "hearing officer" in Mathis' case, but that statement was slightly misleading. The collective bargaining agreement provides that Goodell hears every appeal related to PEDs. But Goodell typically defers to a designee, who also is a league official — not an independent party. Ultimately, the league office still made the final decision to deny the appeal, as is usually the case.

"I chose not to (hear the appeal)," Goodell said. "I didn't see any reason that this was different than any of the other drug cases, and I do not hear those."

>> Regarding Colts owner Jim Irsay, arrested in March on preliminary charges of driving under the influence and drug possession, Goodell said he will continue to take a patient approach to discipline since the matter has not been adjudicated.

"There have been no charges," Goodell said. "So the answer is, until we have more information or more facts, we will let it play out."

Irsay had a blood sample taken by police after his arrest, the results of which are still pending. The timeline is complicated by the fact that the Indiana Department of Toxicology, as reported in the Indianapolis Star this week, has a backlog of eight months for testing.

>> Goodell said owners talked at length about the notion of expanding the playoffs but decided to hold off for 2014. The league has discussed expanding from the current 12 postseason teams to 14 teams but doing so for the upcoming season was too complicated.

"We looked at the competitive issues," Goodell said. "We looked at the ticket sales issues. We looked at issues with respect to the advertising market and I think our general view here is that we should proceed with the Thursday night focus this year. We're adding additional inventory into the marketplace and that makes the most sense for us for the 2014 season."

The NFL has expanded its Thursday night television package, adding marquee games on CBS.

Call Star reporter Stephen Holder at (317) 444-6520. Follow him on Twitter: @HolderStephen.