Dallas Cowboys defensive end Charles Snowden has been suspended for the first three games of the 2026 regular season, stemming from a violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy connected to a DUI arrest from 2024 when he played for the Las Vegas Raiders.
The NFL’s official statement confirmed the terms:
“Dallas’ Charles Snowden, DE, Virginia, has been suspended by the Commissioner for the first three games of the 2026 season. He is eligible to participate in all preseason activities, including games; his suspension will take effect as of the roster reduction to 53 players.”
Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Charles Snowden (49) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
He is eligible to participate in all preseason activities
In January 2026, Snowden reached a plea agreement through his attorneys, pleading no contest to a misdemeanor DUI charge and being ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and complete coroner’s and DUI courses. His charge will be reduced to reckless driving if he completes the full terms of the agreement.
The Cowboys were aware of the impending suspension when they signed Snowden in June on a one-year, $1.1 million deal after a minicamp tryout.
The three-game suspension had been widely anticipated given the timeline of the charge. Snowden will be able to participate fully through the preseason, meaning his acclimation to the Cowboys’ defense under defensive coordinator Christian Parker will not be disrupted until the roster is finalized in late August.
Cowboys DE Charles Snowden has been suspended for the first three games of the season, per today’s wire.
Snowden, per the NFL, “is eligible to participate in all preseason activities, including games; his suspension will take effect as of the roster reduction to 53 players.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 14, 2026
Snowden went undrafted out of Virginia in 2021. He played two games for the Chicago Bears that season before spending time on practice squads with the Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He made the Raiders’ active roster in 2024 and posted career bests in his two seasons in Las Vegas, recording three sacks, five tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, and an interception across 15 games in 2025. He will return to the Cowboys lineup in Week 4 against the Houston Texans on the road.
Dallas opens the season against the New York Giants, Washington Commanders, and Baltimore Ravens in the first three weeks. The Cowboys’ defense allowed the most points per game in the NFL in 2025 at 30.1.
While Snowden was projected as a depth piece rather than a front-line contributor, first-round rookie Malachi Lawrence will likely see additional early-season snaps as a result of his absence.
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