The Buffalo Bills will be without Phidarian Mathis for the first three games of the 2026 NFL season.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the league has suspended Mathis for violating the NFL's Substances of Abuse Policy. Mathis is eligible to play during the preseason but will sit out the first weeks of the Bills' season, without pay:
Buffalo's exhibition slate begins on Saturday at 1 p.m. against the Carolina Panthers at Highmark Stadium. During the preseason, Mathis was expected to push for playing time in the team's defensive line rotation.
Mathis has had impressive moments but his suspension does put his roster spot in jeopardy and he will be a player to watch for the Bills during the preseason now.
A former second-round pick of the Washington
Commanders in 2022, Mathis signed in Buffalo in September 2025 and was called up to play six games, during which he made 13 tackles.
Bills Wire will continue to provide updates throughout the 2026 NFL season.
This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: Bills defender hit with three-game suspension from NFL
