Well, if you were a believer in Justin Blackmon, like I was — and even traded for him just yesterday! — today is quite the bummer.
The Jaguars announced Friday afternoon that the red-hot rookie wide receiver has been suspended indefinitely without pay for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. He won’t be eligible to apply for reinstatement until before the start of the 2014 season.
[Jaguars.com]
STATEMENT BY AN NFL SPOKESPERSON:
“Blackmon’s suspension begins immediately. He will be eligible to apply for reinstatement prior to the start of the 2014 season.”
STATEMENT BY JAGUARS GENERAL MANAGER DAVID CALDWELL:
“All of us who are a part of the Jaguars family care very deeply about Justin and his well-being. That said, he must be held accountable and accept the consequences announced today by the NFL. His suspension will provide him the opportunity to receive the attention and professional treatment necessary to overcome his challenges, and we will support him during this time. The Jacksonville Jaguars will evaluate Justin’s status once he has successfully met the criteria to be considered for reinstatement to the league.”
I gave up Ryan Mathews for Blackmon in my league. Let’s hope you didn’t pull the trigger as soon as I.
Josh Helmuth is the editor of CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him @JHelmuth or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.