Pittsford, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Buffalo Bills linebacker Nigel Bradham is trying to stay positive after learning he'll be suspended for the first game of the 2014 season for an incident stemming back to last summer.
The NFL suspended Bradham on Wednesday for violating the Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse.
"My whole thing is to stay positive," said Bradham on the team's website. "It's something that followed me from a decision I made last year. I regret it and I made a mistake. I apologized to my teammates. I'm sorry that we have to go through this again. And hopefully I just get past it and come out for game two ready. I'm just going to keep working everyday out here at training camp and get better."
Bradham will be eligible to return to the Bills' active roster on Monday, Sept. 8 following the team's Week 1 game against the Chicago Bears. He is able to participate in all preseason practices and games.
The 24-year-old Bradham was not expecting the one-game ban.
"It's related to what happened last year," said Bradham. "The commissioner said I wasn't disciplined from the NFL last year so I guess it rolls over into this year. Everything was dismissed and I'm not in a substance abuse program or anything. Since everything was dismissed it's kind of shocking and kind of disappointing that it came back again. I tried to appeal it but the appeal was declined."
The Florida State product had been taking starting reps on the weak side of Jim Schwartz's defense in place of Kiko Alonso, who is out for the season because of a knee injury.
Bradham had 51 tackles in 16 games (two starts) last season.
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