The NFL suspended New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Jake Haener six games for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substances policy.
The league did not announce what substance Haener was using or for which he tested positive.
Haener, 24, will be eligible to return to the team’s active roster on Oct. 16.
The Saints selected Haener in the fourth round of this year’s draft out of Fresno State.
He played in all three preseason games, throwing for 395 yards. He completed 38 of 72 passes with one touchdown and three interceptions.
Haener was the Senior Bowl MVP and is the first Fresno State quarterback to be drafted since Derek Carr, whom the Saints signed as a free agent in March to be their new starter.
Haener threw for 2,896 yards, 20 touchdowns and just three interceptions in 10 games in 2022. That followed a 4,096-yard campaign in 2021.
The Saints also have quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill on their roster. The team changed Hill’s designation from tight end to QB ahead of this week.
Haener was the sixth quarterback selected in the 2023 draft and the first on Day 3.
–Field Level Media