Cam Sutton will miss the first eight games of the NFL season after violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
The Pittsburgh Steelers safety was suspended by the league after his arrest in March on a charge of domestic battery by strangulation, a third-degree felony that could result in a prison term of up to five years.
Sutton surrendered himself to police on March 31. Authorities said officers responded to a call about domestic violence in progress involving Sutton and a female around 5 a.m. on March 7. The sheriff’s office asked the public for help in locating Sutton.
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After he surrendered to authorities, he entered a pretrial diversion program in April after the charges were reduced from a felony to misdemeanor battery. His agreement with prosecutors required Sutton to take a mental health evaluation.
Sutton signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Detroit Lions before the start of the 2023 season after spending six years with Pittsburgh. However, the Lions released him after the alleged incident, and he returned to Pittsburgh in June on a one-year deal. He had a career-high 65 tackles and an interception in 2023.
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Sutton participated in organized team activities and minicamp but declined to get into specifics about what led to his arrest or any potential punishment that the NFL could levy if it finds he violated the league’s personal conduct policy.
"Adversity strikes everyone in life," Sutton said on the day when he signed with the Steelers. "So, it’s all about how you handle it, how you necessarily go through those phases and just knowing who you are individually, not letting someone else dim your light."
Sutton will be eligible for reinstatement on Oct. 29.
Fox News' Ryan Gaydos and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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