tournament since returning from the chaos in his personal

PHOENIX -- The NFL has suspended Arizona Cardinals standout inside linebacker Daryl Washington for one year for violating the leagues substance abuse policy. The punishment, announced Friday, was for substance abuse and did not mention his recent guilty plea to assaulting his ex-girlfriend. He still could face a later suspension for the criminal conviction. Washington, in a statement released by his agent, said the penalty was for marijuana, and that he takes responsibility for the violation. He said he "is committed to making changes" in his life that will allow him to return to the NFL. Considered among the best in the NFL at his position, Washington was suspended the first four games of last season for violating the substance abuse policy. "It is completely unacceptable that Daryl has once again put us in this position," Cardinals general manager Steve Keim said in a statement released by the team. "We all know what the consequences are and will deal with them." Washington, the team leader in tackles in 2011 and 2012, will lose $2.9 million in salary, plus any prorated signing bonus money, due to the suspension. In March, Arizona exercised a $10 million option to keep him on the roster. Washington received $5 million then and the deals calls for him to get the other $5 million next March. However, the leagues collective bargaining agreement with players has a mechanism that allows the Cardinals to recoup a portion of that option money because of the substance abuse violation. Washington said the NFL "policy is very strict, and I have chosen to take responsibility." "I will work extremely hard to stay in top football shape," he said, "and will work equally hard to ensure that my life off the field meets the high level of maturity and responsibility to which I am committed." With the loss of inside linebacker Karlos Dansby to free agency, the Cardinals find themselves without the dynamic combination that was a big part of their strong defence last season. Second-year player Kevin Minter is slotted to take Dansbys place. Just what the team will do to try to replace Washington is unclear. "Our approach is the same as its always been: next man up," Keim said. "We talk a lot about how critical depth is to a team because situations always arise whether by injury or other circumstances such as this one." After leading the team with 111 tackles in his second NFL season, Washington signed a six-year contract, adding four years and $32 million to his existing deal. In 2012, he led the team with career highs of 140 tackles and nine sacks and made the Pro Bowl. But in April of last year, the NFL suspended him four games for violating the substance abuse policy. A month later, he was arrested on accusations of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, the mother of the couples child. He pleaded guilty to two counts of assault earlier this year. A suspension for the criminal conviction had been expected. The penalty for substance abuse came as a surprise to some, but apparently not to Washingtons teammates. "Old news to us, new news to yall," defensive tackle Darnell Dockett said in a tweet. Keim said "our hope is that this suspension will give Daryl the opportunity to accept the necessary help and guidance to get his life back on track," Keim said, "and we will certainly support him however we can." When OTAs resumed this week, coach Bruce Arians said he hoped the team could pick up another outside linebacker. The Cardinals signed veteran Larry Foote in the off-season, and outside linebacker Lorenzo Washington also can play inside. Minter, a second-round draft pick, played almost entirely on special teams as a rookie. Another player Arizona has at inside linebacker is Kenny Demens, an undrafted rookie free agent a year ago who spent last season on the Cardinals practice squad. "I sincerely apologize for the effect of my actions on my teammates, coaches and other colleagues at the Cardinals," Washington said. "I also apologize to Cardinals fans for the time I will miss. I will work diligently during this suspension to return as a better man and football player." NBA Jerseys . - Because they didnt go into Beast Mode, the Seattle Seahawks found themselves in Spin Mode. NFL Jerseys . The Toronto Argonauts running back hurt his left ankle during the teams practice Friday afternoon at Rogers Centre. https://www.cheapjerseysjustwholesale.com/ . The 155th edition of the Plate for Canadian-foaled three-year-olds, the oldest continuously run stakes race in North America, will be televised live on TSN in HD (High Definition) in a special presentation from 4:30 – 6:00 pm ET. Post time is 5:38 pm. Offcial Jerseys . Second-seeded Sloane Stephens of the United States made lighter work of her day as she beat 2009 champion and Swiss wild card Timea Bacsinszky 6-3, 6-3. Two seeds fell: No. 4 Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium lost to Katarzyna Piter of Poland 6-4, 6-2, and No. Authentic Jerseys . John Albert Elway, 24, was booked into jail early Saturday morning after an incident near a college campus in downtown Denver, according to jail records.PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- The road to the Masters got off to a bumpy start Sunday for Tiger Woods when he withdrew from the Honda Classic with what he said was a lower back injury. Woods was 5-over par for the final round -- 12 shots behind Rory McIlroy at the time -- when he shook hands with Luke Guthrie on the 13th green and told him he was done. It was the farthest point at PGA National, and the tournament sent a van to collect Woods and his family. Police kept the media from the parking lot. "He just came over and said, I cant go anymore. It was a pleasure playing with you," said Luke Guthrie, paired with Woods the last two days. "I just said, Take it easy. Feel better. Pretty uneventful." But the speculation over his future figures to be a big buzz leading to the Masters next month. Woods said through spokesman Glenn Greenspan it was a lower back problem that had started Sunday morning as he was warming up. He was to defend his title next week in the Cadillac Championship. "Too early to tell," Woods said in a statement about playing next week at Doral. "Ill get treatment every day to try to calm it down. Just dont know yet. Wait until Thursday and see how it feels." Woods already has played a limited schedule this year -- 10 complete rounds. He was to play twice more before the Masters on April 10-13. Woods said the spasms were similar to what he felt last August at The Barclays, where he dropped to his knees after hitting one shot. Woods finished that tournament in a tie for second, one shot behind Adam Scott. It was the second time in two years that Woods has walked off the course in the middle of the final round. He quit after 11 holes at Doral when he was well out of contention -- and then won Bay Hill two weeks later for his first PGA Tour title since his return from the chaos in his personal life. Guthrie said he could tell early on in the round that something was not right with Woods. "He made a couple of uncharacteristic shots -- the first on 3 kind of was the first one," Guthrie said. "I didnt know if he wasnt feeling the greatest, and it kind of seemed like he might have been protecting -- came up and out of it. I didnt think much of it until maybe 11. I noticed he was bending down gingerly. "He didnt mention it to me," Guthrie said. "Obviously, he wasnt playing the ggreatest.dddddddddddd I wasnt playing the greatest. He was battling out there. Its not like he was throwing in the towel. He was still trying." Woods started the final round seven shots out of the lead and was out of the tournament quickly. He muffed a tough chip in the rough on No. 2, and then took double bogey on the easy par-5 third hole with a drive that found the water hazard left of the sixth green. He bogeyed the fourth from behind the green, and then put his tee shot into the water on No. 6 and had to scramble to save bogey. Woods had said earlier this year in Dubai that he spent the majority of his off-season working on his physical strength, at the expense of neglecting his game. He opened the year by missing the 54-hole cut at Torrey Pines (where he is an eight-time winner), and then tying for 41st in the Dubai Desert Classic. The Honda Classic was his first tournament in a month, and he didnt make it to the finish line. "If youre hurting, youre hurting," Guthrie said. "You dont need to risk injuring yourself even more. Hes had his share of problems with injuries. Theres no reason for him to chance it if hes really hurting." This was the fourth time Woods has withdrawn from a tournament since returning from the chaos in his personal life at the end of 2009. He withdrew from The Players Championship in consecutive years, once in the final round because of a bulging disk, and then after nine holes in 2011 with a leg injury. He left in the final round at Doral in 2012 because of tightness in his Achilles tendon. Two years ago at Doral, Woods was driven in a cart to the parking lot, and NBC Sports showed footage of his Mercedes-Benz driving out of the Miami resort toward his home about an hour north in Jupiter. This time, police blocked the media from entering the players parking lot. Woods was seen getting out of a white passenger van with his mother and other members of his group. It was the second time the No. 1 player in the world walked out in the middle of the Honda Classic. A year ago, McIlroy quit after 26 holes because of what he said was a sore wisdom tooth. He later said the frustration of a poor start to the year got the best of him. By withdrawing in the middle of the round, Woods is ineligible to win the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average for having an incomplete round. Woods has won the award a record nine times. ' ' '