New York Jets Rumors: Sheldon Richardson Suspended Four Games By NFL
New York Jets rumors reveal that Sheldon Richardson has been suspended by the NFL. Richardson has played two seasons with the Jets, recording the most tackles for a defensive lineman in the last two years. A report from ESPN on Thursday (July 2) states that he probably won’t lead the league in 2015. Richardson has been suspended for the first four games of the regular season for violating the NFL substance abuse policy.
This is bad news for Richardson, who was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2013. Some analysts felt that he was almost as valuable to his team as J.J. Watt has been to the Houston Texans. Losing him is going to be a big blow to the Jets, as he accounted for 144 tackles, 11.5 sacks, a safety, and two forced fumbles since getting selected in the 2013 NFL Draft. Missing him against the first four opponents in 2015 is going to put the team at a disadvantage.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Sheldon Richardson was even named to the 2014 AFC Pro Bowl team. These New York Jets rumors will hit fans hard, as it looked like the defensive line was going to be very formidable with Richardson, Leonard Williams, Muhammad Wilkerson, and Damon Harrison in 2015. Williams was the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, showing how highly the team thought of him. Adding Williams to a line anchored by several other stars might have made it one of the best lines in the NFL. Now, fans will have to wait to see.
Richardson did issue a statement, apologizing for the behavior that resulted in his suspension. In it, he touched upon what he needs to do to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
“I apologize for letting down my family, teammates, this organization and the fans. However, words aren’t enough. This is something that can only be addressed by how I handle myself from this point on.”
During the first four weeks of the 2015 NFL season, the Jets played the Cleveland Browns (home), Indianapolis Colts (road), Philadelphia Eagles (home), and Miami Dolphins (road). Sheldon Richardson should be activated for the Week 5 bye that the Jets have, and then he will play against the Washington Redskins in Week 6 (Oct. 18). Those first four opponents have to be pretty pleased they don’t have to play against Richardson to start out the campaign.
After finishing the 2014 NFL season with a 4-12 record, the Jets are looking to bounce back strong this year. The team put together a good draft that also included Ohio State wide receiver Devin Smith and outside linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin. The hopes have been high that the team could fight for a wild card spot in the 2016 NFL Playoffs, but these latest New York Jets rumors have thrown a bit of water on that. Now, the team simply has to prove it is better than just one man and start out the season right on Sept. 13 against the Cleveland Browns.
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