Last season, the Arizona Cardinals shockingly released nose tackle Kevin Strong amid a career-best campaign ahead of their regular-season finale against the Seattle Seahawks. Reports surfaced that Strong’s release stemmed from a personal matter, with head coach Jonathan Gannon saying his dismissal was “what’s best for the team.”
On Tuesday, the NFL suspended Strong for the first three games of the season, according to league insider Aaron Wilson. There is no indication that Tuesday’s suspension is linked to Strong’s unceremonial exit from the Cardinals in 2023.
Former Arizona Cardinals DL Kevin Strong: Suspended Three Games
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Last season, the Arizona Cardinals released Kevin Strong before their season finale, stating the defensive lineman needed to tend to a personal matter. Eight months later, the NFL will suspend Strong for the first three games of the regular season. Details surrounding Strong’s suspension remain unclear, but his three-game hiatus would mark the lowest handed out by the league this offseason.
#NFL suspended free agent Kevin Strong for first three games of season
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 20, 2024
The NFL handed out three suspensions in July, headlined by an eight-game suspension for Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Cameron Sutton for “conduct detrimental to the league.” Meanwhile, free safety Tashaun Gibson and kicker Denico Autry earned six-game suspensions for PEDs.
Kevin Strong: Entering Sixth NFL Season
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Defensive lineman Kevin Strong will enter his sixth NFL season next fall. Currently a free agent, Strong last played for the Cardinals in 2023, appearing in 14 games and making 11 starts. Strong posted a career-best 46 tackles in 2023, adding five TFLs, 2.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery. From Week 5 to Week 7, Strong tallied 11 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two TFLs.
From 2021 to 2022, Strong played for the Tennessee Titans, making 21 appearances. He collected 23 tackles during that stretch. Strong spent the better part of his first three seasons with the Detroit Lions, making one start and accumulating 20 tackles and one sack.
NFL Suspension: 2023 Season
![REPORT - Former Arizona Cardinals Defensive Lineman Suspended Three Games Ahead of 2024 Season 3 Kareem Jackson, Denver Broncos](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/USATSI_21392519-scaled.jpg)
Kevin Strong is the fourth player to earn a suspension during the 2024 NFL calendar year. Last season, the NFL suspended 20 players following final roster cuts, meaning Strong is undoubtedly not the last player to earn a suspension before Week 1. Last offseason’s suspensions ranged from one game to an entire season, with Amani Bledsoe earning a 17-game suspension following a repeat violation of the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy.
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