Jets' Sheldon Richardson suspended 1 game for violating personal conduct policy

New York Jets defensive end Sheldon Richardson has been suspended without pay for the first game of the regular season for violating the NFL personal conduct policy, the NFL announced Thursday.

He will be eligible to return to the Jets roster on Sept. 12 and is eligible to participate in all preseason practices and games.

Richardson posted a response on his Instagram later Thursday.

Richardson pleaded guilty in January to resisting arrest after leading police on a high-speed chase in July 2015. He avoided jail time but was sentenced to two years of probation and 100 hours of community service. For four traffic violations, he was fined a total of $1,050.

He was arrested for driving a 2014 Bentley at speeds as high as 143 mph while trying to avoid police in suburban St. Louis, his hometown. He was accompanied by a 12-year-old relative. Police reported a strong odor of marijuana in the car and discovered a loaded, semiautomatic handgun. The gun was possessed legally, prosecutors said.

Richardson wasn't charged with drug possession or child endangerment because prosecutors said there wasn't sufficient evidence.

This is the second consecutive time Richardson will begin the regular season with a suspension. Last year, he missed the first four games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. He played 11 games and finished with a career-low 35 tackles, in addition to five sacks.

Richardson, a former 2013 first-round pick, has a salary of $1.776 million in 2016. He will lose one game check of $104,471 during the suspension. Richardson will make his regular-season debut Thursday, Sept. 15, in a prime-time game against theBuffalo Bills.

ESPN's James Walker contributed to this report.