Sheldon Richardson’s real-life re-creation of “Grand Theft Auto” last year caught up with him Thursday.
The Jets’ Pro Bowl defensive lineman was suspended without pay for the upcoming regular-season opener by the NFL for his July 2015 arrest stemming from a high-speed police chase in suburban St. Louis.
Richardson ran from police in his 2014 Bentley Silver Spur at speeds of more than 140 mph while being accompanied by two male passengers and a 12-year-old relative.
Police also found a loaded semiautomatic handgun under a floor mat in Richardson’s car and said they detected “the strong odor of marijuana.”
Richardson, the 2013 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, avoided jail time in January of this year after pleading guilty to reduced charges but could not avoid punishment from the NFL over the unseemly incident.
As a result, Richardson will miss the Jets’ Week 1 opener at home against the Bengals. He will be eligible to return to the roster the day after that game and also will be allowed to participate in all preseason practices and games.
Richardson did not comment aside from posting a message on his Instagram page Thursday afternoon apparently referring to the situation that was labeled “Facts” and said: “Aye you live and you learn.”
This will be Richardson’s second NFL suspension in as many seasons after the former Missouri standout was forced to miss the first four regular-season games last year for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.
Richardson was much more contrite after the 2015 suspension, vowing that a similar incident “will not happen again” and apologizing for letting down his family, teammates, organization and fans.
Richardson’s upcoming suspension just adds to the intrigue surrounding a Jets defensive line that is among the league’s best when at full strength.
Gang Green is currently locked in an ugly contract stalemate with Richardson’s fellow defensive lineman, Muhammad Wilkerson, after slapping Wilkerson with the franchise-player tag in February.
Wilkerson has yet to sign the tag and called the Jets’ unwillingness to sign their Pro Bowl standout a long-term contract “shocking” and “frustrating” in a recent interview with The Post’s Brian Costello.
The Jets’ defensive line was also reeling long before Richardson’s latest suspension when nose tackle Damon Harrison was lured away by the Giants in March with a lucrative deal in free agency.
The Jets are willing to put up with Richardson’s repeated suspensions because the former first-round pick continues to produce when he’s available.
Richardson’s 16.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in his first three seasons, and his 36 quarterback hits and 15 tackles for lost yardage are the second-most on the team behind Wilkerson since 2014.
Richardson’s suspension will put pressure on second-year defensive tackle Leonard Williams to produce in Week 1 against a Cincinnati team that reached the playoffs last season.