After the NFL reinstated linebacker Daryl Washington on April 25, the Arizona Cardinals announced on Thursday that they would be releasing him.
Daryl Washington released by Cardinals after 3-year NFL suspension ends
The linebacker was reinstated in April, but the Cardinals have decided to move on.
“After meeting with Daryl Washington, we have collectively decided it is best to release Daryl and give him the opportunity to continue his career elsewhere,” the team’s statement read.
The team drafted Washington in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft. He was an All-Pro during the 2012 season, with nine sacks and one pick.
Things took a bad turn in 2013, when he was suspended for the first four games of the season after violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The next month, Washington was arrested on an assault charges after a domestic violence incident.
In 2014, Washington pleaded guilty to those aggravated assault charges that left his ex-girlfriend with a broken collarbone. He was sentenced to a year of probation, but did not serve jail time.
He missed the 2014 season due to a suspension for multiple violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy. The suspension was indefinite, resulting in him missing three years before his reinstatement in April.
The release shouldn’t be surprising. Washington was out of the NFL for an extended amount of time. The Cardinals also selected Temple linebacker Haason Reddick No. 13 overall in this year’s draft.
Washington had shown promise years ago with the Cardinals, but the off-the-field issues weren’t worth the team keeping him.
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