NFL suspends Vikings' Chamberlain

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The NFL suspended Minnesota Vikings tight end Byron Chamberlain for the first four games of the season for violating the league's policy on banned substances.

Chamberlain tested positive for ephedra, an over-the-counter stimulant which speeds the heart rate and constricts blood vessels.

In an interview with WCCO-TV in Minneapolis, Chamberlain said he misread the label on a product he was using and believed it was ephedra-free.

"It's definitely an honest mistake, but it's something I'm going to have to deal with," Chamberlain said. "I definitely apologize to my teammates, to my family and to the fans."

Chamberlain made the Pro Bowl in 2001, but struggled with knee and weight problems in 2002, his eighth in the league. He caught 34 passes for 389 yards for the Vikings that year.

The Green Bay Packers said Friday that third-year linebacker Torrance Marshall has been suspended by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Marshall will miss the team's first four regular season games without pay. He's eligible to return to the active roster on Sept. 30. The first game he can play is at home against Seattle on Oct. 5.

He can participate in training camp and the Packers' five exhibition games before his suspension begins Aug. 29.

Marshall was a third-round draft choice from Oklahoma in 2001.