(Reuters) - Chicago Bears defensive lineman Jeremiah Ratliff has been suspended for the first three games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, stemming from a 2013 drunken driving incident, the league said on Monday.
Ratliff, 33, will not be eligible to return to regular season practices until Monday, Sept. 28, after the team's third game of the year, which is against the Seattle Seahawks.
"It's tough to sit out any game for any reason," Ratliff told reporters after Monday's practice. "Of course, a situation like this doesn’t make it any easier. But I’m going to do what I have to do, and I’ll come back Week Four and be ready to play.