LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The NFL suspended Chicago defensive lineman Jeremiah Ratliff without pay for the first three games of the season Monday, saying he violated its substance-abuse policy.
Ratliff will miss games against the Packers, Cardinals and Seahawks before he is eligible to return to the active roster in time for the Oct. 4 game against Oakland. He is eligible to participate in all preseason practices and games, including Saturday's game at Cincinnati.
Ratliff said he anticipated the suspension for a 2013 drunken-driving incident and will move on without appealing to the league.
"There's a lot of things I could be doing to help myself, help the team," Ratliff said.