National Football League

Goodell 'hopeful' for HGH tests this year

Published Oct. 3, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he's ''still hopeful'' the league will be able to test players for human growth hormone this season.

After giving a speech to neurological surgeons Monday, Goodell told reporters: ''I think the science has proven there's a valid (HGH) test, and we're hoping we'll get the green light from the union.''

When the NFL and the players' union agreed to a new labor contract in August, the sides said they would institute blood testing for HGH, but only after the union agreed to the methods. The union has questioned the safety and reliability of testing.

Two members of Congress invited Goodell and union head DeMaurice Smith to meet about HGH testing. Goodell expects that to happen in the next two weeks.