NFL Suspends Saints’ Warren for Drug Use

Defensive end Frank Warren, coming off the best of his nine seasons with the New Orleans Saints, was suspended from the NFL for at least a year Monday after testing positive for drugs a third time.

The league’s three-violation policy was established in 1986. A first violation is kept confidential, a second means suspension for four weeks and a third-time violator is suspended for life with the option to reapply in a year.

Warren, 6 feet 4 and 290 pounds, was never suspended as a two-time violator, and there was no explanation of that.

NFL spokesman Jim Heffernan said he did not know when the second or third violations occurred. Team officials refused to provide the details and Warren did not return telephone calls.