National Football League
NFL Longest Suspensions
National Football League

NFL Longest Suspensions

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:58 p.m. ET

The NFL's longest suspensions:

Life - Art Schlichter, Indianapolis, gambling, suspended for one year on June 1983. Was released following the 1985 season; pleaded guilty to an illegal gambling charge April 1, 1987. NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle did not reinstate after Schlichter applied for permission to re-sign.

Life - Stanley Wilson, Cincinnati, substance abuse, suspended Jan. 22, 1989; permanently banned May 15, 1989.

Life - Earl Ferrell, Phoenix, 1990, substance abuse, voluntarily retired.

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Life (reinstated after 1 year) - Dexter Manley, Washington, substance abuse, Nov. 18, 1989.

Life (reinstated after 1 year) - Frank Warren, New Orleans, substance abuse, April 13, 1990.

Life (reinstated after 1 year) - Terry Taylor, Detroit, substance abuse, Sept. 20, 1990.

Two years - Tony Collins, Indianapolis, substance abuse, Aug. 13, 1988-July 11, 1990.

Two years - R. Jay Soward, Jacksonville, substance abuse (four games), June 8, 2001; extended another six games Oct. 10, 2001 by NFL. Then Jaguars suspended him for four games, personal conduct, Dec. 7, 2001. Suspended for the next season Jan. 9, 2002.

1 year, 10 months - Darrell Russell, Oakland, substance abuse, Jan. 2, 2002-Oct. 28, 2003. Suspended indefinitely July 26, 2004 for substance abuse, two weeks after cut by Tampa Bay.

1 1/2 years - Stanley Wilson, Cincinnati, substance abuse, Oct. 30, 1984-May 8, 1986.

1 1/2 years - Dale Carter, Denver, substance abuse, April 25, 2000-Nov. 7, 2001.

16 games - Leon Lett, Dallas, substance abuse, final three games of 1996 and 13 games in the the following season, Dec. 3, 1996.

1 year - Paul Hornung, Green Bay, gambling, 1963 season.

1 year - Alex Karas, Detroit, gambling, 1963 season.

1 year - Mike Reilly, L.A. Rams, substance abuse, 1983.

1 year - Stanley Wilson, Cincinnati, substance abuse, June 24, 1987 (served 10 months).

1 year - Tim Worley, Pittsburgh, substance abuse, April 29, 1992.

1 year - Chuck Levy, Arizona, substance abuse, Aug. 25, 1995.

1 year - Carlton Haselrig, N.Y. Jets, substance abuse, Nov. 27, 1995.

1 year - Roosevelt Potts, Indianapolis, substance abuse, Aug. 20, 1996.

1 year - Larry Webster, Baltimore, substance abuse, Aug. 20, 1996.

1 year - Josh Evans, Tennessee, substance abuse, June 20, 2000.

1 year - Tyrone Robertson, Buffalo, substance abuse, Dec. 10, 2002.

1 year - Onterrio Smith, Minnesota, substance abuse, June 7, 2005.

1 year - Kendyll Pope, Indianapolis, substance abuse, Aug. 31, 2005.

1 year - Ricky Williams, Miami, substance abuse, April 25, 2006.

1 year - Odell Thurman, Cincinnati, substance abuse (four games), July 26, 2006; extended for one year Sept. 27, following his arrest on a drunken-driving charge.

1 year - Koren Robinson, Green Bay, substance abuse, Oct. 17, 2006.

1 year - Adam ''Pacman'' Jones, Tennessee, personal conduct, April 10, 2007.

1 year - Josh Gordon, Cleveland, substance abuse, Aug. 27, 2014. (reduced to first 10 games of season; team suspended him for final game after missing a walk-through)

1 year - Frank Alexander, Carolina, substance abuse, Nov. 24, 2014 (third strike).

1 year - Josh Gordon, Cleveland, substance abuse, Feb. 2, 2015.

1 year - Aldon Smith, Oakland, substance abuse, Nov. 17, 2015.

1 year - Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh, substance abuse, March 14, 2016.

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