The Washington Commanders will be down a key piece of their edge-rushing rotation for the season opener, thanks to a suspension to Dorance Armstrong. The NFL announced on August 14 that the defensive end has been suspended one game for violating the league’s Personal Conduct Policy, a punishment that will cost him Washington’s Week 1 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Details
Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the suspension officially began August 30, with Armstrong eligible for reinstatement on Monday, September 14 â the day after the Eagles game. That timeline means Armstrong will be back in the lineup for Washington’s Week 2 matchup against the Cowboys in Dallas, a fitting return spot given he spent his first six NFL seasons with the Cowboys before joining the Commanders in 2023.
Armstrong was permitted to practice and play throughout the preseason; the suspension applies only to the regular-season opener.
What Led to the Suspension
The conduct behind the punishment dates back to May 10, 2025, when Armstrong was arrested in Frisco, Texas. According to police records reviewed by The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala, officers were dispatched to Armstrong’s home after his girlfriend reported he was intoxicated and attempting to remove her and her two children from the residence.
The report indicated there was no physical altercation between Armstrong and his girlfriend, but described him becoming increasingly agitated, pounding on windows and doors in the backyard. Officers arrested him for public intoxication, and the report states he resisted being placed in the patrol vehicle and struck an officer during the process.
Armstrong faced misdemeanor charges of assault causing bodily injury and resisting arrest, and ultimately received deferred adjudication on both counts.
According to reporter Ben Standig, the conduct prompting the league’s discipline occurred during the 2025 season.
Football Impact
The timing stings for Washington on multiple levels. Armstrong is already working his way back from a torn ACL suffered in Week 7 of last season, an injury that ended what was shaping up to be his best year in Washington â 5.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss through just seven games. Over his two full seasons with the Commanders, he’s totaled 10.5 sacks and established himself as a regular in Dan Quinn’s front seven.
Adding another wrinkle, Armstrong has reportedly shifted from his traditional defensive end role to outside linebacker this offseason under new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones’ scheme.
Even without the suspension, Week 1 would have been something of a live test of that transition coming off a major knee injury. Instead, Washington’s pass rush will have to find its footing against Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia’s offensive line without him.