The NFL on Monday suspended Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Cameron Sutton for the first eight games of the 2024 season after his domestic violence arrest in March.
Sutton, 29, will not be appealing the suspension, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Sutton was reported to have battered a woman in Lutz, Fla. on March 7, but further details were not divulged.
He was then wanted for domestic violence charges on March 20 in Hillsborough County, Fla.
The following day, the Detroit Lions cut Sutton just one year into his three-year, $33 million contract.
Sutton was also accused of “ducking” authorities for two weeks following the release of his warrant before turning himself in on March 31.
The cornerback proceeded to enter a pretrial diversion program on April 8, which forced him to receive a mental health evaluation and forgo possession of any weapons.
Despite his ongoing legal situation, Sutton reached agreement with Pittsburgh on a one-year, $1.2 million veteran minimum deal on June 5.
The former third-round pick played his first six seasons in the NFL in the Steel City, eventually blossoming into one of the more underrated cornerbacks in football.
During the 2022 season, Sutton posted a 71.6 overall Pro Football Focus grade, including a 70.4 coverage grade — the latter of which ranked 22nd among cornerbacks to play 900 or more snaps.
However, the Tennessee product’s play took a downward turn during his first season in Detroit, finishing as the lowest-graded corner to play 1,000-plus snaps in 2023.
Sutton’s first eligible game back will come in Week 10, when the Steelers return from their bye week and play the Washington Commanders on the road.
Even after bracing for an early-season suspension for Sutton, Pittsburgh seemed to be counting on the veteran’s presence in a very thin and overhauled secondary.
Without Sutton, the Steelers will rely on contributions from second-year standout Joey Porter Jr. and recently acquired vet Donte Jackson.