Every Player Suspended to Start the 2026 NFL Season

The 2026 NFL season will kick off on Sept. 9, but not every player will be participating when their team takes the field in Week 1. Some players are sidelined due to injury, while others will miss the action because they have been suspended.

Before the season begins, here is a tracker of every player who will be serving their suspension to start the year.

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.

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