Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent has received a conditional reinstatement to the NFL if he completes a 10-game suspension.
Brent was sentenced to 180 days in jail after he was found guilty of intoxication manslaughter for a December 2012 automobile accident that killed former teammate Jerry Brown. In addition to the jail term, Brent was also given 10 years of probation.
Brent will be eligible to visit the Cowboys team facility after Week 6 and can begin practicing with the team in Week 9 if he complies with several conditions, including evaluation, treatment and counseling.
After the 10-week suspension period, Brent will be considered for full reinstatement in the league following a report from the advisors in the NFL's substance abuse program. He would not be able to play until the Week 12 matchup against the New York Giants at the Meadowlands. The Cowboys have a bye the previous week.
If Brent has alcohol-related conduct, he would likely face an immediate suspension and possibly a banishment from the league.
Brown did not survive injuries sustained when Brent crashed his Mercedes while driving with a blood alcohol level well above the legal limit.
Brent appeared in 44 games over three seasons with Dallas from 2010-12. He spent the final four weeks of the 2012 season on the reserve/non-football illness list as a result of injuries from the incident and announced his retirement in the summer of 2013 while awaiting trial on the intoxication manslaughter charges.
The Cowboys selected Brent in the seventh round of the 2010 draft out of Illinois, where he also was a teammate of Brown.
The NFL said Brent has a five-day window to appeal the decision it outlined on Tuesday.
[SportsNetwork.com]
