The NFL’s transactions digest for Wednesday included the waiver report, player signings, reserve list assignments, the usual practice-squad churn, a handful of tryouts and one blast from the past. Under the heading “Suspension lifted by the commissioner” was listed Rolando McClain, linebacker from Alabama.

The action by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made the 34-year-old McClain an unrestricted free agent available to sign with any team.

McClain hasn’t played in an NFL game since Jan. 3, 2016.

McClain was indefinitely suspended by the NFL on Dec. 2, 2016, for violating the league’s Program and Policy for Substances of Abuse.

McClain served a four-game suspension to start the 2015 season for running afoul of the Program and Policy for Substances of Abuse and was returning from missing the first 10 games of the 2016 campaign on a second suspension when he received the indefinite suspension.

McClain played for the Dallas Cowboys in 2014 and 2015, and the NFL team released him on Sept. 2, 2019.

McClain was a football and basketball star for Decatur High School before earning the Butkus Award as the nation’s best linebacker and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year Award while playing for the undefeated Alabama team that won the BCS national championship for the 2009 season.

McClain was the eighth player selected in the 2010 NFL Draft, going to the Oakland Raiders. McClain made the Pro Football Writers of America’s All-Rookie team. But he played his final game for the Raiders on Nov. 25, 2012, and didn’t appear in another NFL regular-season game for 642 days.

McClain was arrested three times between Dec. 1, 2011, and April 21, 2013, and he retired before the 2013 season began.

McClain returned from the one-year retirement to help the Cowboys win the NFC East title in 2014 and earn their first playoff victory since 2009 as Dallas’ middle linebacker.

In 2014, McClain finished second in the voting for the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award and was a finalist for the George Halas Award, which is presented annually to the NFL player, coach or staff member who overcomes the most adversity to succeed.

In five NFL seasons, McClain played in 65 regular-season and two playoff games, with 63 starts.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.