The NFL announced earlier this afternoon – “Sheldon Richardson of the New York Jets has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2015 regular season for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse.
“Richardson will be eligible to return to the Jets’ active roster on Monday, October 5 following the team’s October 4 game against the Miami Dolphins.
“Richardson is eligible to participate in all offseason and preseason practices and games.”
I’ve always liked the fact that the league allows suspended players to participate in training camp and the preseason. Why throw a guy to the curb when he’s down? Help him out; keep him in a structured environment; give him some support. After all, he’s still going to feel the pain of the suspension and lost game checks. It’s not like you are rewarding him; just trying to lend a hand to somebody who needs some help and mentoring, something coaches tend to be very good at.
Kudos to the NFL and the NFLPA for this set-up.
