July hasn't been kinds to both NFL players and teams as a few players have been suspended for the first four games of the regular season. Defensive End Sheldon Richardson of the New York Jets, and linebacker Rolando McClain of the Dallas Cowboys were suspended for violating the league's substance abuse policy, while Antonio Gates of the San Diego Chargers has been banned for violating the NFL's policy on performance enhancing substances.

All players expressed regret over their misdemeanors.

"I apologize for letting down my family, teammates, this organization and the fans," Richardson said in a statement. "However, words aren't enough. This is something that can only be addressed by how I handle myself from this point on."

"While I won't be there at the start of the regular season, I will do whatever I can to support my teammates until I'm able to return to the field," said Richardson who will be eligible to return against the Washington Redskins on October 18.

McClain, for his part, further depletes the Cowboys' roster that is already without Greg Hardy, who was suspended back in April for 10 games.

"I will not break the rules of my profession in the future and I regret my error. I look forward to returning to the field in Week 5, when I hope to help my team beat the Patriots," he said.

The veteran Gates had this to say: "In my 12 years in the NFL, I have taken tremendous pride in upholding the integrity of the NFL shield and all that it entails. I have taken extreme care of my body with a holistic approach and I have never knowingly ingested a substance that was banned by the NFL. In an effort to recover from this past season, I used supplements and holistic medicines and unfortunately, I have now learned that those substances always present a risk because they may contain banned substances even if the ingredient list doesn't reflect them."