Former third-round pick T.J. McDonald started all 16 games for the Los Angeles Rams this past season. It was a culmination of a four-year stint with his original team that saw the former USC safety start all 53 games in which he appeared.
Despite this, the 26-year-old safety has not yet found a team on the free-agent market.
We now know why. The NFL has slapped McDonald with an eight-game suspension stemming from a DWI case he resolved with authorities back in January.
T.J. McDonald suspended first eight games of 2017 season: https://t.co/H24htHgDhA (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/Q9bRRTIpLU
— NFL (@NFL) March 29, 2017
If you remember corrrectly, McDonald was arrested for driving under the influence of what were described as medications he was allegedly using (more on that here).
This is McDonald’s second bout with the NFL’s disciplinary office, which mandates an eight-game suspension.
A four-year starter for the Rams, McDonald recorded 281 tackles, 18 passes defended and four interceptions during that span. It’s now highly unlikely that he’ll receive a contract worth any more than the minimum on a one-year deal.