Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

In case you lost count, since 2011 the Seattle Seahawks have had five players suspended for PED use, and Jim Harbaugh has “definitely noticed it.” After the San Francisco 49ers finished up the first of a three-day minicamp on Tuesday, Harbaugh said this about the Seahawks’ suspensions:

I’ve definitely noticed it. You don’t know what it is. Even when people say what it is, you don’t know that that’s what it is. For this, throw it out, or it’s that. But that’s usually the agents of the players themselves saying it’s, for example, Adderall.

But the NFL doesn’t release what it actually is. So you have no idea. You’re taking somebody at their word, that I don’t know that you can take them at their word, understanding the circumstances.

The Seahawks have had the following players, in chronological order, suspended for PED use: offensive guard John Moffitt (2011), offensive tackle Allen Barbre (2012), safety Winston Guy (2012), cornerback Brandon Browner (2012) and defensive end Bruce Irvin (2013). Cornerback Richard Sherman was also suspended for using Adderall last season, however, it was overturned in December because he won an appeal.

From now on, should Niners fans refer to their division rivals as the Seadderall Seahawks?

There is definitely a pattern here and it’s no coincidence that all of the suspensions have occurred with Pete Carroll as Seattle’s head coach. While Carroll may not have condoned the PED use, it is clear he did not make an example out of Moffitt, Barbre, Guy or Browner to other players, nor did he set the record straight that PED use would not be tolerated on his team. All you have to do is look at Irvin’s suspension which was handed down just last month to figure this out.

Either Carroll did nothing as I said or Irvin tuned him out and used the PEDs anyways. Because of Irvin’s cheating, he will miss the first four games of the upcoming season, which includes a Week 2 matchup against the 49ers.

Carroll said this when asked about Harbaugh’s comments:

We’ve kind of dealt with this to set into motion a really clear mindset to take care of business and treat this situation that is around the league very seriously. I don’t know about commenting about anybody else’s team, but as far as we’re concerned, we feel like we’ve addressed it directly.

Harbaugh and Carroll already have a long and heated rivalry that dates back to when both were head coaches in college, with Harbaugh at Stanford and Carroll at USC. This will certainly add more fuel to the fire. I bet Harbaugh has been waiting and licking his chops to speak out about the Seahawks’ recent suspension and their history of PED use.

Clearly, using PEDs is wrong for any player on any team to use. But where Carroll failed to get it through to his players to stop using PEDs, Harbaugh said he has made sure this will not happen with the 49ers. He said he told his players:

It has no place in an athlete’s body. Play by the rules. And you always want to be above reproach. Especially when you’re good, because you don’t want people to come back and say they’re winning because they’re cheating. So we want to be above reproach in everything and do everything by the rules. Because if you cheat to win, then you’ve already lost, according to Bo Schembechler. And Bo Schembechler is about next to the word of God as you can get in my mind. It’s not the word of God, but it’s close.

Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Tuesday marked the first of a three-day minicamp for the San Francisco 49ers at their team headquarters in Santa Clara, CA. The minicamp is the last off-season workout for the 49ers. After the three-day minicamp the 49ers will return back to work for the start of training camp in late July.

[Video: Recap of 49ers First Day Of Minicamp]

Here are some highlights from the first day and below that are photos from the first day:

• A.J. Jenkins had the catch of the day with a pass from second-string quarterback Colt McCoy. Jenkins had to reach back for the pass as he fell to the ground. For most of the practice the receiver was lining up with the first-team. Jenkins continues to impress the Niners coaching staff as he is the early favorite to start as the No. 2 receiver for the offense. Both Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman said Jenkins had his best day of practice since he has been with the team.
• QB Scott Tolzien threw three interceptions to Tramaine Brock, Craig Dahl and Darcel McBath.
• Draft pick B.J. Daniels worked with the second team while Colt McCoy and Colin Kaepernick worked with the first-team offense. Each of the quarterbacks was seen working on the read option.
• Kaepernick took off running a bunch of times against the first-team defense during an 11-on-11 drill.
• Cornerback Carlos Rogers is not attending because of an injury. In his absence, Tarell Brown and Nnamdi Asomugha lined up at cornerback with the first-team defense.
• Donte Whitner and C.J. Spillman played safety with the first-team defense, while Dahl and 18^th overall draft pick Eric Reid worked out with the second team.
• Offensive coordinator Greg Roman had his players working on new red-zone plays at practice.
• With Joe Staley (knee) and Mike Iupati (shoulder) still recovering from off-season surgery, Kenny Wiggins was at left tackle and Adam Snyder at left guard with the first-team offense.
• Players who did not practice included Rogers, Staley, Iupati, Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, Mario Manningham, Kyle Williams, Justin Smith, Aldon Smith, Ahmad Brooks, Tank Carradine, Marcus Lattimore, Quinton Dial,Luke Marquardt, Darius Fleming and Michael Crabtree.

Jun 11, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Anquan Boldin (81) participates in drills during minicamp at San Francisco 49ers training facility. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Jun 11, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) hands the ball off to running back LaMichael James (23) during minicamp at San Francisco 49ers training facility. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Jun 11, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back LaMichael James (23) runs with the ball during minicamp at San Francisco 49ers training facility. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Jun 11, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis (85) catches a ball during minicamp at San Francisco 49ers training facility. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Jun 11, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Anthony Dixon (24) runs with the ball during minicamp at San Francisco 49ers training facility. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Jun 11, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Quinton Patton (11) catches a pass during minicamp at San Francisco 49ers training facility. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Monday marked the start of the San Francisco 49ers long road back to the Super Bowl as players attended voluntary workouts at team headquarters in Santa Clara. The voluntary workouts are part of the team’s nine-week offseason program.

Some of the players in attendance on the first day of workouts included LB Patrick Willis, CB Nnamdi Asomugha, FB Bruce Miller, RB Anthony Dixon, LB Aldon Smith, LT Joe Staley and QB Colin Kaepernick. All of the players are limited to only strength and conditioning workouts, and physical rehabilitation. This period will last for the next two weeks.

The second phase of the offseason workouts allows Niners coaches to work with players on the football field. That will be followed by organized team activities which are also voluntary. The only mandatory workouts are the 49ers minicamp that will run from June 11-13.

It has been a long two and a half months since the heartbreaking Super Bowl loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Just like the players, Niner fans everywhere are just as excited to see the start of voluntary workouts so the quest for a six franchise championship can begin anew. Watching a video of the players working out and talking about beginning the 2013 season got me pumped up. You can watch the video by clicking here.

Quotes from players after the first day of voluntary workouts:

Asomugha: This is the grind period, the work period. To have so many guys out here, it’s encouraging.

Trenton Robinson: It feels good to come back and know what’s expected of you. You know what you need to do and you know what you need to do to perform and to play. I’m excited to get back and to see guys in the locker room and get ready to do these lifts, OTAs and get into camp.

Perrish Cox: First day, you’re basically seeing the brothers. You’ve been away from them all offseason, you get to see everyone you play with and it’s like being back at home with your brothers.