McClain suspended again

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain has been suspended indefinitely, the NFL announced Friday.

The Cowboys sent out a statement from an NFL spokesman that read: “Rolando McClain of the Dallas Cowboys has been suspended indefinitely without pay for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse.”

McClain missed a test, which is considered a positive test by the NFL, and had appealed it. The league’s announcement means the appeal process has been completed.

After the Baltimore game last month when the news initially broke of the additional suspension, owner Jerry Jones said the team would not release McClain in an attempt to recoup the signing bonus. They re-signed McClain to a one-year, $4 million contract, including a $750,000 signing bonus, on March 9. The league first suspended McClain on June 30 for testing positive for opiates.

“I can’t talk about anything because I’m not allowed to know anything about his testing, and so that’s all I can say there, and we won’t release him, and when he’s eligible he’ll be a part of this team,” Jones said after the Baltimore game. “He had gotten in good shape, and so we’ll just deal with what we find out with his status with the league.”

The thought has been that McClain would not play for the Cowboys this season and that is career may be over.

McClain, 27, missed the majority of the offseason program before showing up for minicamp out of shape. He didn’t take part in any drills, and was then handed the suspension in June.

McClain didn’t report to training camp and was placed on the reserve/did not report list. Per the collective bargaining agreement, McClain was subject to daily fines of $40,000.

He also was fined an additional game check of $73,529 for missing the first preseason game.

Per the collective bargaining agreement, McClain could be working with the team in the weight room

and participating in meetings during his suspension, but didn’t. He also never was issued a locker at The Star practice complex.

McClain ranked third in tackles with 97 in 11 games with the Cowboys last season. He had 108 tackles in 13 games in 2014.