Former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Nazeeh Johnson will need to wait more than a month before he can take the field with his new team after the NFL handed down a significant punishment.
Johnson left the Chiefs in free agency to join the Tennessee Titans, where he was expected to compete for a meaningful role. But he is instead hit with a significant setback that could derail his season.
Former Chiefs DB Hit With Suspension
As NFL reporter Aaron Wilson noted, the league announced that the veteran cornerback was facing a suspension.
“#Titans Nazeeh Johnson suspended for six games for violation of #NFL performance enhancing drug policy,” Wilson shared in a post on X.
The Titans also announced the news, noting that Johnson would be out through October.
“Titans defensive back Nazeeh Johnson has been suspended for the club’s first six regular season games without pay for violating the NFL’s Performance-Enhancing Substances Policy,” the team wrote in a post on its official website. “Johnson is eligible to participate in all preseason activities, including games. The suspension will begin on August 30 and he will be eligible for reinstatement on Monday, October, 19.”
The 28-year-old came into the NFL as a seventh-round draft pick of the Chiefs in 2022, appearing in 11 games in his rookie season and making eight total tackles. He only appeared in 18 more games over the course of the next three seasons, making a total of 58 tackles with three passes defensed.
The setback could be especially difficult for Johnson, who was seen as a marginal roster candidate and will miss the chance to start the regular season with the team.
Chiefs Face Questions in the Secondary
The Chiefs have some concerns in their secondary heading into Friday’s preseason opener, with reporter Ron Kopp Jr. of SB Nation’s Arrowhead Pride noting that the group has been hit by injuries, leaving Melvin Smith and Kristian Fulton to pick up the slack.
“With the top of this group dealing with plenty of injuries, Smith has played a lot of reps with the starting defense to this point in camp,” Kopp wrote. “It’s worth considering whether Fulton is someone the team would be willing to trade for if he flashes in the preseason; he has rarely played with the starters in camp.
“Either way, the biggest preseason concern is the lack of time this group has spent on the field at full speed and full contact. We’ll learn little about that part of it this weekend.”
Former Chiefs Draft Pick Faces NFL Punishment With New Team