The Dallas Cowboys will open the 2026 season without one of their newest defensive additions. The NFL suspended defensive end Charles Snowden for the first three games of the year, according to ESPN, which cited the league’s transactions wire. The move stems from a DUI arrest Snowden picked up in Las Vegas back in December 2024, while he was still a member of the Raiders.
The suspension landed on the wire Tuesday, July 14. Snowden hasn’t played a single regular-season down in a Cowboys uniform yet — he signed with Dallas as a free agent this offseason after a tryout at minicamp — and now he’ll have to wait even longer to make his debut.
What Led to the Snowden Suspension
The punishment traces back to a night in Las Vegas nearly two years ago. Per Yahoo Sports, police found Snowden passed out behind the wheel of his running Jeep Cherokee, which had nearly rolled off a four-foot retaining wall. Two blood tests reportedly came back at .18 and .19 blood-alcohol content — more than double Nevada’s legal limit of .08.
Snowden initially pleaded not guilty. That changed in January, when he entered a no-contest plea to a misdemeanor DUI charge, according to Yahoo Sports and separately confirmed by Fox News, which reported an NFL spokesperson confirmed the DUI plea deal as the reason for the ban. The deal came with conditions: a $1,000 fine and mandatory coroner’s and DUI courses. If Snowden completes those terms, the charge gets knocked down to reckless driving.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport first reported the suspension news on X on July 14, tying it directly to the personal conduct policy violation. The league’s own transaction wire didn’t spell out a reason, which is standard practice, but the reporting across multiple outlets lines up on the cause.
Which Games Snowden Will Miss
Snowden is eligible to practice and play through the entire preseason, including all three Cowboys exhibition games. The suspension doesn’t kick in until Dallas trims its roster to 53 players ahead of Week 1. Once it does, he’s out for three real games that matter:
| Week | Opponent | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | at New York Giants | Sept. 13 |
| Week 2 | vs. Washington Commanders | Sept. 20 |
| Week 3 | vs. Baltimore Ravens | Sept. 27 (approx., per released schedule) |
That opener is no small stage to miss. The Cowboys and Giants kick off Week 1 on Sunday Night Football at MetLife Stadium, part of a series where Dallas has historically dominated — the Cowboys are 11-1 all time in season-opening meetings against New York.
What It Means for the Defense
Snowden was brought in to compete for a role in new defensive coordinator Christian Parker’s revamped scheme, not to be a headline addition. He signed a one-year deal in June after impressing at a tryout, following two seasons with the Raiders in which he posted 67 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks across 31 games.
Now he’ll need to make up ground on a crowded depth chart before he’s even played a game in Dallas. The Cowboys spent this offseason retooling the pass rush, adding Rashan Gary via trade from Green Bay and drafting Malachi Lawrence in the first round. Snowden will have to beat out that competition for snaps once he’s finally eligible — and he’ll be doing it after missing three weeks of live football to start the year.
Dallas finished 7-9-1 last season under first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer and surrendered 377 yards per game, a number the front office clearly targeted with its defensive spending this offseason. Losing a rotational piece for three weeks isn’t a crippling blow, but it’s one more name off a unit that can’t afford early-season setbacks if it wants to turn last year’s record around.
