Bears DT Jeremiah Ratliff Suspended Three Games For Substance Abuse Violation

The NFL announced Monday that Bears DT Jeremiah Ratliff has been suspended the first three games for violating Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse.

This suspension stems from a DWI plea following a car crash that occurred back in January of 2013. Even so, this is a tough loss for the Bears’ defense, given that Ratliff was listed as the team’s starting nose tackle on their depth.

Ratliff, 33, is in the final year of his two-year, $4 million contract that included $600,000 guaranteed. He stands to make a base salary of $1.5 for the 2015 season.

In 2014, Ratliff appeared in 11 games for the Bears and recorded 37 tackles and 6.5 sacks