KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs tight end Demetrius Harris received a one-game suspension Tuesday from the NFL for violation of the league’s substances of abuse policy.
Sept. 3, 2015; St. Louis; Chiefs tight end Demetrius Harris (84) with rookie wide receiver Chris Conley (17) during the preseason finale against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome. Photo used with permission from Chiefs PR. (Credit: KCChiefs.com)
“This morning the NFL notified the club that tight end Demetrius Harris will serve a one-game suspension effective Week 1 of the regular season,” read a brief statement from the club issued following the suspension. “We respect and support the league’s decision in this matter and will have no further comment on the situation.”
Th suspension stems from an incident in March 2017. The Bates County Sheriff’s department arrested Harris when a traffic stop found him in possession of more than 35 grams of marijuana. He pleaded guilty in March 2018 to charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Harris received a shock sentence of two days in jail along with a $500 fine after pleading guilty to the charges. He also received two years probation and 80 hours of community of service. He also must complete the NFL’s drug treatment program.
The one-game suspension does not take effect until the week ahead of the team’s season opener at the Los Angeles Chargers. Harris can take part in all offseason workouts, training camp practices and preseason games. His suspension takes effect after the preseason and concludes on Sept. 10 ahead of the team’s Week 2 contest at the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Harris posted career highs with 18 catches for 224 yards and a touchdown last season. He faces competition for the backup tight end spot from veteran free agents Jace Amaro and Tim Wright. The club also recently claimed blocking tight end Alex Ellis off waivers from New Orleans.
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Matt Derrick is the lead beat writer for ChiefsDigest.com. Use the contact page to reach him or find him on Twitter: @MattDerrick.
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