It is now confirmed that New Orleans Saints’ Deuce McAllister and Houston Texans’ Bryan Pittman are among the several players under investigation for violating the NFL’s policy on anabolic steroids and related substances.

There have been speculations on the identity and the exact number of players who tested positive for the banned compound bumetanide. Several media organizations have reported varying statistics – Fox 31 said it is six to 10 players while ESPN.com said the number may exceed 15. NFL is refusing to divulge any information since the players are still appealing their cases.

Deuce McAllister, however, admitted that he’s one of the ‘several’ players. The Saints’ veteran running back talked with the media after his team’s victory over San Diego in London on Sunday.

“We’ve been kind of going through this process for a while,” McAllister said. “I guess you guys just found out about it at this point. But whatever happens, that’s what’s going to happen. We’ve hired counsel. He’s going to do his job to kind of put the case together and however the NFL rules, that’s the way it will be.”

Lawyer David Cornwell, who has served as assistant general counsel to NFL, is representing several of the players involved. Cornwell, however, has only identified one of his clients Bryan Pittman, long snapper for the Houston Texans.

“Bryan did everything humanly possible to comply with the NFL steroid policy, including obtaining doctors’ written authorization to take weight loss medication. He did not use steroids,” Cornwell said Monday in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

“Thus far, the only violation of the NFL steroid policy is the breach of Bryan’s absolute right to confidentiality while his appeal proceeds. Whoever is leaking this story is attempting to put their thumb on the scale (of) justice to harm Bryan.”

Other players who have been named in several media reports include McAllister’s fellow Saints’ player Will Smith as well as Viking’s Kevin Williams and Pat Williams.

Bumetanide is a loop diuretic often used as a masking agent by users of anabolic steroids and other banned compounds.