Antonio Gates Suspended; Will Miss Game Against Vikings

There were a handful of suspensions that were handed down on Thursday afternoon, all related to the National Football League's substance abuse policy. No members of the Minnesota Vikings were on the hit list, but one of the suspensions that was announced will have an effect on the purple.

Antonio Gates, the long-time tight end for the San Diego Chargers, will miss the first four games of San Diego's season because of his violation of the policy. That means that, barring some sort of successful appeal, he will miss the game between the Vikings and Chargers that will take place at TCF Bank Stadium in Week 3.

At 34 years old, Gates definitely isn't getting any younger. However, he is still a significant part of the Chargers' offense. He was second on the Chargers last year in both receptions (69) and yardage (821) while also hauling in 12 touchdowns. His absence will likely have a significant impact on the San Diego offense, which is good news for our favorite football team.

Other suspensions announced yesterday included New York Jets defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (4 games), Dallas Cowboys' middle linebacker Rolando McClain (4 games) and Green Bay Packers defensive end Datone Jones (1 game).