Steroids, Lies, and The Rose Bowl: Ex-Green Bay Packer Tony Mandarich’s Doping Confession Rocks Football Legacy

Many fans have appreciated Tony for spilling the truth.

August 30, 2026

This article was last updated by Anish on August 29, 2026

Ante Josip “Tony” Mandarich’s legacy as an NFL Player has been downhill ever since he admitted to using Steroids and faking tests, which eventually won him the Rose Bowl.

He confessed to all of his wrongdoings in 2008, almost 20 years after he was named “The Incredible Bulk,” thanks to his build, strength, and towering height.

The Former NFL player also released an Autobiography later, after his confession, My Dirty Little Secrets: Steroids, Alcohol & God.

He said, “I conned you. I lied to you about not using steroids. I was a jackass. I don’t want to be like that anymore,” referring to Sports Illustrated’s Rick Telander.

“I wrote the book for explanation and for, hopefully, helping somebody see the light that there is hope for addiction or alcoholism and that you can change and save your life,” he said.

Usage Of Drugs Since High School

Tony has also admitted he used to do drugs since high school, which was at Theodore Roosevelt High School. After getting an exposure, he chose to represent Michigan State in College Football.

He had the backing of veterans George Perles and Nick Saban until the end of his University football tenure.

In his Sophomore and Senior years, he was even named Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year. He played a crucial part in securing the Rose Bowl for Michigan State.

Before the final, he used a catheter to collect clean urine and sealed it with Bubblicious gum, suggesting he was pretty cautious.

At the end of his college carrer, he was regarded as one of the most excellent prospects ever, but he failed to reach his potential in the NFL.

In the 1989 draft, he was drafted No. 2 by the Green Bay Packers ahead of the likes of and .

Over four seasons with the Packers, he played 45 games, starting 31 of them, but never lived up to expectations. One of the reasons was that he had quit using performance boosters; however, he still used painkillers and had an alcohol addiction.

“The testing, I felt, was too hard. I didn’t want it even talked about, so I just didn’t do them,” suggesting the NFL has strict Protocols.

After a couple of seasons with the Packers, he completely disappeared for the next few years, as he was placed in rehab and struggling with Physical/mental health.

The former NFL player also admitted that he thought it would only reduce his performance by around 10%, but it turned out to be the case.

He later signed with the Indianapolis Colts in 1996 and played three seasons there, all without any drug abuse, making his total NFL appearances 86.

After his retirement in 1998, he pursued his passion as a professional photographer, specializing in nature photography, and also runs a marketing agency, Mandarich Media Group.

He also occasionally appears on Media and TV, and on Podcasts, and has now devoted his life mostly to God.

In Case You Didn’t Know

• Tony was born to Croatian Immigrants on September 12, 1966. He convinced his parents to let him play football after his brother, John, received a scholarship to play for Kent State.
• The former NFL player started in 63 games during his NFL career, spanning two spells, and made two fumble recoveries.
• He has also achieved notable honors in his name, including UPI Linesman of the Year (1988), Unanimous All-American (1988), Second Team All-American (1987), and Two-Time All-Big Ten.

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Anish Koirala has loved sports since he was a kid. He grew up playing basketball and soccer, and that passion stayed with him over the years. Today, Anish works as a writer and editor, sharing his knowledge and love for the game through articles and stories. He uses his playing experience to make his writing clear, thoughtful, and fun to read.

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