Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Zay Jones will miss the start of the season after receiving a five-game suspension, the NFL announced Friday.
Jones was arrested last November on a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence. The charge was later dismissed. The NFL conducted its own investigation and determined that Jones violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy. As a result, Jones will miss the first five games of the season.
The 29-year-old receiver was arrested Nov. 13 in Jacksonville after police said he had gotten into an argument with the mother of his child. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office deputy said in the arrest report that he “observed several small scratches on the victim’s neck, consistent with fingernail marks” as a result of the argument. The charge was dismissed in March after evidence was reviewed.
Jones, who was playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars at the time, signed a one-year, $4.25 million contract with the Cardinals in May. Jones was selected in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills but has bounced around a number of teams since then. He signed a three-year, $24 million contract with the Jaguars in 2022 before the team released him in May.
Jones missed several games last season due to a knee injury. He made 34 receptions in 2023, his worst performance since 2020.