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Bills' Von Miller was suspended four games by the NFL


Bills' Von Miller was suspended four games by the NFL

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills edge rusher Von Miller was suspended four games by the NFL on Tuesday for violating the league's personal conduct policy.

The NFL did not disclose the reason for the suspension as Buffalo (3-1) prepares to play at the Houston Texans on Sunday. Miller, the NFL's active leader in sacks, is eligible to return to the Bills before their Nov. 3 home game against Miami.

Miller was indicted last November of assaulting his pregnant girlfriend at her home outside Dallas during the Bills' bye week. He turned himself in to police after being charged with third-degree aggravated assault on a pregnant woman, which is punishable by two to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The woman and Miller have been together for seven years and have two other children together.

No charges were filed. Miller said in July that he considered the case closed based on feedback from his attorneys.

“Right now my life is all about football and my kids and being the best teammate and best football player I can be,” he said at the time. “I'm happy to be here with the Buffalo Bills. I’m happy just being in this moment, living my life and doing the things we normally do.”

The 35-year-old Miller has three sacks in four games this season. After recovering from torn knee ligaments, he failed to score a single goal in 14 games last season, including the playoffs.

Miller has 126 1/2 sacks, which is tied with Derrick Thomas for 17th on the career list.

In Miller's initial comments following his arrest in December, he denied the allegations, calling them false and “exaggerated.” Miller stated that something happened between him and his girlfriend, but stressed that it was nothing close to what he said he did.

According to a police affidavit regarding the alleged assault on Nov. 29, Miller twice placed his hands on his girlfriend's neck, pulled out some of her hair and threw her onto a couch. The woman was treated for minor injuries, including bruises to her neck, officials wrote.

Police wrote that Miller became “visibly angry” when the woman went into an office in their shared apartment and slammed the door behind her.

Miller then told her to “get out,” police wrote, and when she tried to collect her laptop and cellphone, Miller began pushing her. She repeatedly screamed, “Stop. I am pregnant,” the affidavit states. After being pushed, she fell into a chair, at which point Miller placed his hand on her neck and held her down with pressure for three to five seconds, police wrote.

According to the document, Miller then threw the woman's laptop on the ground and stomped on it. She told police she recorded part of the attack and when she threatened to call the police, he left.

The Bills filled Miller's spot on the roster by signing defensive tackle Zion Logue from the Atlanta Falcons' practice squad. Logue was drafted in the sixth round by Atlanta after playing in college at Georgia.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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