Bills DT Mathis suspended 3 games by NFL

August 14, 2026 No Comments

Bills’ Phidarian Mathis banned 3 games for substance abuse violationAlaina GetzenbergAug 14, 2026, 04:22 PM ETClose

Alaina Getzenberg covers the Buffalo Bills for ESPN. She joined ESPN in 2021. Alaina was previously a beat reporter for the Charlotte Observer and has also worked for CBS Sports and the Dallas Morning News. She is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. — Bills defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis has been suspended for the first three games of the season for violating the NFL’s substances of abuse policy.

The suspension stems from an alcohol-related incident that occurred in spring 2025, a league source told ESPN. The 2022 second-round draft pick by Washington was with the New York Jets at the time of the incident. The league declared the action Friday afternoon along with several other player suspensions.

Mathis, 28, is competing for one of the final roster spots along the Bills defensive line with players including 2024 third-round pick DeWayne Carter, who missed all of last season with a torn Achilles. A likely fit on the practice squad if he doesn’t make the 53-man roster, Mathis played in six regular-season games and one playoff game for the Bills last season.

He is eligible to play in the preseason. The suspension will begin Aug. 30, and Mathis will be eligible for reinstatement Sept. 28.