TEMPE, Ariz. -- A crucial piece of information regarding Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington’s reinstatement was revealed Tuesday morning.

Washington applied for reinstatement on May 8, according to Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910.

Knowing that date helps puts Washington’s future into perspective. The goal is for NFL to decide on reinstatements within 60 days of receiving an application, according to the substance-abuse policy. That window closed a week ago.

Washington applied for reinstatement almost six weeks after he was eligible.

Washington was suspended on May 30, 2014 for “at least one year” for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. He previously violated the policy in 2013, when he was suspended for the first four games of the season. Washington was allowed to apply for reinstatement for his latest suspension on March 31 -- 60 days before the one-year anniversary of the letter suspending him, according to the substance abuse policy.

According to the substance-abuse policy’s “procedures for reinstatement,” if all the criteria were met by Washington and “all individuals involved in the process,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell could have ruled on Washington’s reinstatement within 60 days of receiving the application – which would’ve been July 7.

The July 4th holiday could have pushed the decision back.

According to the substance-abuse policy, Washington’s reinstatement application should have included information about his:

• Treatment

• Abstinence from Substances of Abuse throughout the entire period of his banishment

• Involvement with any Substances of Abuse related incidents

• Arrests and/or convictions for any criminal activity, including Substances of Abuse-related offenses

After Washington’s application was received by the commissioner’s office, there were a series of events that needed to take place. According to the substance-abuse policy, they included:

1. Within 45 days of receipt of the application, the Player will be interviewed by the Medical Director and the Medical Advisor, after which a recommendation will be made to the Commissioner with regard to the Player’s request for reinstatement.

2. The Player will execute appropriate medical release forms that will enable the Commissioner’s staff and NFLPA Executive Director’s staff to review the Player’s substance abuse history, including but not limited to attendance at counseling sessions (individual, group and family); attendance at 12-step and other self-help group meetings; periodic progress reports; and all diagnostic findings and treatment recommendations.

3. The Player will submit to urine testing by an NFL representative at a frequency determined by the Medical Advisor.

4. The Player will agree in a meeting with the Commissioner or his representative(s) to comply with the conditions imposed by the Commissioner for his reinstatement to the status of an active Player.

Washington’s trouble with the league isn’t over once he’s reinstated.

In March 2014, Washington pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in an incident involving his ex-girlfriend in 2013. He received a year of probation, which was reduced by two months in February. The charge, which was unclassified when he was sentenced in April 2014, was classified as misdemeanor.

An NFL spokesman told ESPN last month that Washington’s domestic-violence arrest will be reviewed separately from and after a decision on his current suspension is made.