Every Player Suspended During the 2026 NFL Season

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When the 2026 NFL season kicked off, several players were sidelined for the start of the year due to suspension. As the season has continued, several other players have been handed suspensions by the league for violating one of the NFL’s policies.
Here is a tracker of every player who will be serving a suspension during the 2026 season.
Alaric Jackson, OT, Rams
Suspension length: one game
Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson was initially suspended two games for punching Bills edge rusher Bradley Chubb after the Bills’ win over the Rams on Monday, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. A day later, Rapoport reported that Jackson’s suspension was reduced to one game. Jackson was previously suspended two games in 2024 for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. He will now face his second suspension, and miss the Rams’ game against the Cardinals. Offensive lineman David Quessenberry is currently slated to start in his place.
Montez Sweat, DE, Bears
Suspension length: two games
Bears defensive end Montez Sweat is also facing a two-game suspension. Sweat has been suspended for violating the NFL’s performing-enhancing substances policy, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Sweat, who has two sacks on the season, will miss the Bears’ games against the Falcons and Patriots before he is eligible to return for their Week 8 matchup against the Seahawks.
Dre Greenlaw, LB, 49ers
Suspension length: one game
49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw was suspended for one game after head-butting Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jonest IV when he wasn’t wearing a helmet in their win over Seattle on Sunday, per Schefter. Greenlaw was ejected from the game and missed the entire second half. He will now also miss the 49ers’ Monday night matchup against the Commanders in Week 6. He will be able to return for their Week 7 game against the Falcons.
James Pearce Jr., DE, Falcons
Suspension length: eight games
The NFL has suspended Falcons defensive end James Pearce Jr. for the first eight games of the season after ruling he violated the league’s personal conduct policy. Earlier this offseason, Pearce was arrested and charged with three felonies, including aggravated battery and resisting an officer with violence. Pearce later entered a pretrial intervention program, which could result in the charges being dropped if he stays away from further legal trouble over the duration of the program. Pearce recorded 10.5 sacks for the Falcons as a rookie, but will now miss nearly half of his sophomore campaign due to the suspension.
Nazeeh Johnson, CB, Titans
Suspension length: six games
After signing with the Titans this offseason, cornerback Nazeeh Johnson was suspended for the first six games without pay for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy. Johnson later shared on social media that he took a fertility medication to help him and his wife conceive a child, not realizing the medication was banned.
Johnson was also placed on injured reserve earlier this month after reportedly undergoing ankle surgery.
Brock Rechsteiner, WR, Saints
Suspension length: six games
Saints receiver Brock Rechsteiner will miss the first six games of the season after he was suspended for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substances policy. Rechsteiner signed with the Saints this spring after he went undrafted following five seasons at Jacksonville State.
Phidarian Mathis, DT, Bills
Suspension length: three games
Bills defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis has been suspended for the first three games of the year after violating the NFL’s substances of abuse policy. According to ESPN, the suspension is due to an alcohol related incident that took place in the spring of 2025. Mathis, who is entering his fifth NFL season and second with the Bills, will miss games against the Texans, Lions and Chargers.
Jeshaun Jones, WR, Vikings
Suspension length: three games
The NFL has suspended third-year Vikings receiver Jeshaun Jones for the first three games of the season for violating the league’s substances of abuse policy, per Kevin Seifert of ESPN. Jones, a former undrafted free agent who has largely been a part of the Vikings’ practice squad the past two years, will now be unavailable for the team’s matchups against the Bears, Buccaneers and Dolphins to start the season.
Dorance Armstrong, edge, Commanders
Suspension length: one game
Veteran edge rusher Dorance Armstrong has been suspended for the first game of the 2026 campaign after violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Armstrong, who is entering his third season with the Commanders and ninth in the NFL, will miss the team’s game against the Eagles after he was arrested in May 2025 on misdemeanor charges of assault causing bodily injury and resisting arrest, per ESPN.
Cam Taylor-Britt, CB, Colts
Suspension length: one game
Colts corner Cam Taylor-Britt, who signed with Indianapolis in March on a one-year deal, will miss the first game of the season due to suspension. Taylor-Britt was suspended for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after he was arrested for reckless driving in Cincinnati in 2025. He will miss the team’s contest against the Ravens.

Eva Geitheim is an NFL writer at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor’s in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or rewatching Gilmore Girls.
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