Cowboys DE Charles Snowden suspended for first 3 games of NFL season following plea deal on DUI charge

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Charles Snowden has been suspended by the NFL for the first three games of the season following his plea deal to settle a DUI charge.

The league announced Snowden's suspension on Tuesday.

Snowden was arrested on a misdemeanor DUI charge in 2024 while he was a member of the Las Vegas Raiders. Police in Las Vegas say they found Snowden "passed out" behind the wheel of his Jeep Cherokee as it was running and that he "had almost rolled off a four-foot retaining wall."

Per police, results of two blood tests returned BACs of .18 and .19, more than twice the legal limit of .08. Snowden initially pleaded not guilty but reached a deal with prosecutors in January by entering a no-contest plea, per KLAS.

Per the plea deal, Snowden was required to pay a $1,000 fine and attend coroner's and DUI classes, and his charge was conditionally reduced to reckless driving pending the completion of his side of the deal.

Snowden is a three-season NFL veteran who played for the Chicago Bears in 2021 and the Raiders from 2024-25. He didn’t make an NFL roster in 2022 and 2023. He joined the Cowboys in June as a free agent via a one-year, $1.1 million contract.

Per the league office, Snowden "is eligible to participate in all preseason activities, including games; his suspension will take effect as of the roster reduction to 53 players."

Snowden played in 31 games for the Raiders over the course of the last two seasons, including 18 starts. He tallied 4.5 sacks, 67 tackles, 8 tackles for loss and 11 quarterback hits in those games. He projects to add depth on the defensive line for a Cowboys team seeking to return to the playoffs after missing the postseason in 2024 and 2025.