Because of the ability for steroids to build muscle and increase performance, steroids in football are popular among the athletes. Because of the vast amount of prestige and money available to football players, steroids in football will probably be an issue for a long time.
In 1987, the NFL made its steroids in football policy. This hasn't really stopped the issue of steroids in football, however. In fact, steroids in football start as early as high school for some athletes and continue through into college and, for the few that make it that far, into professional football.
One of the ways to know that steroids in football exist is that studies have shown that over certain periods of time, the average size of the players has grown. This instances of steroids in football are true for high school, collegiate and professional levels.
Some of the most notable people involved with steroids in football are Lyle Alzado (who eventually died of a brain cancer attributed to steroid use) and Bill Romanowski who eventually admitted to using various performance enhancers, including steroids. His steroids in football notabilities are referred more to his violent actions than to his playing ability.
Steroids in football are quite popular mostly because of the nature of the game. Football is not a sport where a small person can usually succeed. Steroids in football, because of the steroids' abilities to build muscle mass and help people bulk up, are often methods to help smaller players get big enough to be competitive.
So, even though there are regulations and even education about the dangers of steroids in football, players tend to do what they can to get around them. High school athletes say that they need steroids in football to get big enough to be able to play at the college level. College level players use steroids in football to stay competitive and to have the chance to further their career.