FLOWERY BRANCH, GA — Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux has been suspended without pay for the team's first regular-season game.
Babineaux's suspension begins Saturday, Sept. 4. He will be eligble to return to the Falcons' active roster on Sept. 13 following the team's Sept. 12 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"As you guys know, that is a league matter and I don't know that there's a whole lot more that I can add to it," head coach Mike Smith said.
Smith added that Babineaux's suspension doesn't change the way the team will prepare between now and the regular-season opener.
"There's going to be 30-something practices between now and Sept. 12, and there's going to be a lot of things to take place," Smith said. "We're going to go and prepare no differently than we would any other year for our season opener."
Babineaux is eligible to participate in all preseason practices and games.
