Denver Broncos’ Matt Prater suspended four games for violating NFL’s substance-abuse policy
Denver Broncos’ kicker Matt Prater has been suspended by the NFL for the first four games of the regular season for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.
More from Denver Broncos
- NFL Power Rankings: Who is the best quarterback in each division?
- Future fires unmistakable NSFW shot at Russell Wilson in new song
- Russell Wilson gets key update on important weapon
- NFL Rumors: D-Hop’s top offers, Cowboys secret sauce, and Russ catches a break
- NFL Power Rankings: Which teams will have the best rushing attacks this season?
According to Mike Klis of The Denver Post, the suspension is alcohol-related. Prater has had trouble with alcohol in the past – he was charged with Driving Under the Influence back in 2011 and has been in the NFL’s alcohol program since. The NFL also reportedly threatened Prater with a year-long suspension but his attorney worked out a deal.
“No one feels worse about this than Matt Prater,” Prater’s attorney Harvey Steinberg said via Mike Klis of The Denver Post. “He feels terribly for his teammates. It’s cost him personally, both professionally and financially. I wonder if we shouldn’t take a second look at the policy when only a couple beers were consumed at home while he was on vacation. Having said that, the NFL under the constraints of the policy couldn’t have treated us better.”
Prater may have been the best kicker in football last year. He hit 25 of his 26 field goal attempts, including a long of 64 and made all 75 of his extra points.
Prater himself told reporters he was “accepting full responsibility” and he went to apologize his teammates, coaches, the Broncos and their fans.
Stay tuned to FanSided as we get you ready for the start of the 2014 football season over the next few weeks. College Football will kickoff on August 28, headlined by games between the South Carolina Gamecocks and Texas A&M Aggies and the Boise State Broncos and Ole Miss Rebels while the pros will start their regular season a week later when the world champion Seattle Seahawks host the Green Bay Packers.