NFL Suspends Cardinals’ Washington for 1 Year

PHOENIX (AP) The NFL has suspended Arizona Cardinals inside linebacker Daryl Washington for one year for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

The punishment, announced Friday, was for substance abuse and did not mention his recent guilty plea to assaulting his ex-girlfriend.

Washington, considered among the best in the NFL at his position, was suspended for the first four games of last season for violating the substance abuse policy.

Cardinals general manager Steve Keim says it is "completely unacceptable" that Washington has again put the team in this position.

In March, Arizona exercised a $10 million option to keep Washington on the roster.

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