Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali was suspended for the 2012 regular-season opener for a violation of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.
The NFL announced Hali was suspended for the Sept. 9 game against the Atlanta Falcons and fined an additional game check.
Hali is the Chiefs’ top pass rusher, with 26.5 sacks and eight forced fumbles in the past two seasons.
He signed a five-year, $60 million deal in August 2011 after a breakthrough season in 2010. He led the AFC with 14.5 sacks in the last year of his five-year rookie contract.
Hali, 28, was the 20th overall pick in the 2006 draft. He has flourished as an outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense and head coach Romeo Crennel has called him “this team’s pass rush.”