On a day where the offense was not at its best the LA Chargers were still able to defeat the Atlanta Falcons behind a strong defensive showing (and awful Kirk Cousins game). With a 17-13 win over Atlanta, the Chargers moved to 8-4 on the season and have over a 90% chance of making the playoffs as the No. 5 seed in the AFC.
The player on Sunday's game was undoubtedly rookie cornerback Tarheeb Still. The fourth-round pick intercepted Cousins twice in the game, one of which was a pick-six that gave the Chargers their only touchdown of the game.
Still's strong game earned him recognition across the league, even from unexpected sources. After the best game of his young career thus far, Still received a notice in his locker in Atlanta that he had to conduct a drug test for the NFL.
Looks like Daiyan manifested a Drug test for Tarheeb Still https://t.co/FZ81cULm0l pic.twitter.com/ciElN6tvLf
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) December 1, 2024
NFL drug tests Chargers CB Tarheeb Still after breakout game vs. Falcons
Drug testing is a common practice in the NFL and it is not out of the ordinary at all for players to be randomly selected to conduct the tests. However, it is quite ironic that the NFL decided to test Still on the same day where he had the best defensive performance of anyone in the league.
This is not uncharted territory for the league, and it is unclear if it is intentional. For example, back in September Patriots edge rusher Keion White was given a surprise drug test after his big game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
There is no malicious intent from the NFL here, and if anything, it is a fun "welcome to the NFL" moment for a rookie who is already one of the very best in the league at his position.
It is not hyperbolic to say that, either. Still is the highest-graded rookie across the entire sport on Pro Football Focus and has the second-highest grade among cornerbacks, trailing only Patrick Surtain II. PFF grades are far from perfect but this is a testament to how good Still has been this season.
In fact, Still has allowed -31 EPA as the nearest defender according to NFL Next Gen Stats. For those counting at home, that is the best mark among all cornerbacks. From counting metrics to grades to advanced stats, Still has been a revelation for this Chargers defense.
Apparently, getting surprise drug tests is the price of being one of the best cornerbacks in the entire NFL in your rookie season.