Bills OT Seantrel Henderson facing 10-game ban

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Sunday, November 27, 2016

Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson is facing a 10-game suspension for a second violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Henderson has been officially informed of the suspension and is appealing the ruling, a source told Schefter, confirming an NFL Network report. A final decision on Henderson's suspension will be made this week, according to the NFL Network.

The Buffalo News first reported the potential second suspension.

Henderson, 24, missed the first four games of the season for his initial violation of the substance abuse policy. Henderson's agent, Brian Fettner, told Schefter in September that the positive test was triggered because Henderson was using medical marijuana to treat Crohn's disease, an inflammatory condition that affects the digestive system.

Henderson tested positive for marijuana at the NFL combine in 2014, a source told Schefter. He also was suspended while playing at Miami for failed drug tests. His history with substance abuse caused some teams to remove him from their draft boards.

Henderson missed the final five games of last season after he was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. The third-year tackle told The Palm Beach Post in August that he underwent surgery in January to remove 2 feet of his intestines, resulting in him losing almost 50 pounds and having to wear an ileostomy bag until his intestines were reattached in April.He is on a strict diet that prevents him from eating gluten or certain vegetables.

Henderson discussed medical marijuana use in treating Crohn's disease during an interview with the Buffalo News in October.

"I've got doctors telling me this is the No. 1 medicine that would help your disease," Henderson told the newspaper. "You try to tell that to the league, and it seems like they didn't care too much."

The Bills selected Henderson with their seventh-round pick in 2014. He started all 16 games at right tackle as a rookie and started 10 of the Bills' first 11 games last season, missing one game in October with a concussion. He has appeared in only one game in 2016.

Information from ESPN staff writer Mike Rodak contributed to this report.