Montez Sweat Suspended Two Games for NFL Drug Policy Violation

Chicago Bears defensive lineman Montez Sweat has been suspended for two games without pay for violating the NFL's drug policy. The suspension will cause him to miss Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons and a Week 7 Thursday Night Football matchup with the New England Patriots.

Sweat will be eligible for reinstatement on Friday, October 23. The 30-year-old is in the final year of a four-year contract worth $98 million, with a base salary of $20.9 million for the current season. His two-game absence is expected to cost him approximately $2.32 million.

Sweat joined the Bears from the Washington Commanders in 2023. This season, he has recorded two solo tackles and two sacks. Head coach Ben Johnson had previously praised Sweat's performance in 2025, calling it his best year in the league, while acknowledging that statistical output was debatable.

"I loved him during the season — but when you watch the self-scout after the year, I think this was a guy who played at a very high level," Johnson said in June. "Whether that showed up statistically or not, that's debatable. But his ability to play the run, play the pass, I thought he did a really nice job. Hopefully it's something we can piggyback on."

Sweat's stated goal for the current season was to "just want to be better than the year before." The suspension comes at an inopportune time for the Bears, who are coming off a 31-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers, which dropped their record to 3-2.

The team is also still without starting quarterback Caleb Williams, who sustained a hamstring injury in Week 2. Johnson indicated that Williams is on track for a potential return, possibly in Sweat's absence, but that his availability for the upcoming game is uncertain.