Brothers gets 4-game doping ban

NEW YORK: Minnesota Vikings linebacker Kentrell Brothers was suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2018 season for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance policy, the league announced Friday.

Under the schedule announced Thursday, the 25-year-old fifth-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft will miss games September 9 against visiting San Francisco, September 16 at Green Bay, September 23 against visiting Buffalo and September 27 at the Los Angeles Rams. Brothers is able to play in all pre-season practices and game and is eligible to return to the active roster on September 28.

His first possible game would be October 7 when the Vikings visit the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch of last season’s National Conference final, won by the Eagles 38-7. Having spent most of his time on kick coverage teams, Brothers has 22 tackles over two seasons for the Vikings, but played in all 16 games last season as well as in the playoffs for Minnesota.