Oakland Raiders fullback Marcel Reece will sit out their last game of the 2015 National Football League (NFL) regular season and the first three games of the 2016 season after being suspended for performance-enhancing drugs (PED).
Reece violated the league's policy regarding performance-enhancing substances and was slapped a four-game suspension, ESPN reported.
Along with the suspension, Reece will also not participate in the 2016 Pro Bowl, the selection in the exhibition game was the fourth consecutive in his career.
The Raiders' last outing of the 2015 season is a road game versus fellow American Football Conference (AFC) South team, the Kansas City Chiefs.
In 15 games played this season, Reece has 10 carries for 36 yards, also having 30 receptions for 269 yards and three touchdowns.
In ESPN's report, Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio wanted the 30-year-old fullback to speak his side regarding the suspension and added that he is hoping the league would look further in to the process.
"I think there's room there for something to be done that maybe would be more fair and just. We understand what's occurred and what the result is, and we'll abide and carry on without Marcel," Del Rio added.
Unfortunately for Oakland, Reece is not the only player who will be having a suspension that is set to be carried over to the 2016 season, as linebacker Aldon Smith (one calendar year) was also suspended for the same violation, ESPN also reported.
The Raiders are on the verge of another losing season as they hold a 7–8 record, third on the AFC South behind the Denver Broncos and the Chiefs who already clinched berths in the playoffs.
It has been 12 seasons since Oakland made it to the playoffs and this season is the unlucky 13th for the team.
The last time the Raiders reached the postseason was in 2002, when they went all the way to win Super Bowl XXXVII over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
