Antonio Brown is suspended for eight games

The NFL suspended former Steelers superstar wide receiver Antonio Brown for the first eight games of the 2020 regular season.

Brown, who does not have a contract with any team, was suspended Friday under the league’s personal- conduct policy.

Brown, who played one game in 2019 for the New England Patriots before being released, can be signed by any team and would be eligible to participate in all his club’s preseason activities. The suspension would take effect when teams make their final cuts Sept. 5.

As part of the discipline, Brown was directed to continue his program of counseling and treatment. He also was advised that any future violation of the personalconduct policy will “likely result in more significant discipline.”

Lions

Safety Jayron Kearse was suspended by the NFL for the first three games of the 2020 regular season for violating league policy on substance abuse. Kearse will be eligible to participate in all preseason practices. He will be allowed to return to the Lions active roster Sept. 28, following the team’s Week 3 game at Arizona. Formerly with Minnesota, Kearse signed a one-year, $2 million deal with Detroit as a free agent. He spent four seasons with the Vikings and was mostly used on special teams.

Bills

Starting right guard Jon Feliciano is out indefinitely after having surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle. The team did not reveal when or how Feliciano was hurt. Feliciano is a fifth-year NFL player entering his second season in Buffalo.

Patriots

It’s no surprise that coach Bill Belichick is being coy about his expectations for the quarterback position as his team prepares for training camp. Assuming that he is healthy after foot surgery in December, free-agent pickup and 2015 MVP Cam Newton would seem the front-runner to win the job over second-year Jarrett Stidham and veteran backup Brian Hoyer as they vie to succeed Tom Brady after his departure to Tampa Bay. Belichick said evaluations won’t start until the team is on the field.