Josh Brent’s agent on NFL return of DT: ‘He has decided he would like to continue his NFL career’ if Cowboys, NFL will take him back
By Rainer Sabin
rsabin@dallasnews.com
10:14 pm on July 30, 2014
Former Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent was released from his residential substance abuse treatment program Tuesday and owner Jerry Jones said he expects the retired 26-year-old to submit reinstatement papers with the NFL.
Brent’s initial meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had to be pushed back after he wasn’t released Monday. The meeting has been rescheduled and is expected to take place sometime over the next two weeks, sources said.
Brent will have to meet with Goodell before he can join any NFL team. He has intentions of restarting his NFL career after retiring last July, Brent’s agent Peter Schaffer said.
“He has decided he would like to continue his NFL career if the Cowboys will have him and the NFL will take him back,” Schaffer said.
Brent was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 10 years of probation in January after being convicted of intoxication manslaughter for the December 2012 crash that killed friend and teammate Jerry Brown Jr., a practice squad linebacker. Brent was released from jail June 15 and allowed to spend the final 45 days of his jail sentence in rehabilitation.
Doctors and clinicians, according to Schaffer, said it would be in Brent’s best interest to return to football. Brent spent approximately 45 days at Enter Health Facility, according to Schaffer, who added that Brent received the blessing of Stacey Jackson, Brown’s mother, to resume his career.
Brent’s likely landing spot remains the Cowboys. And Jones said to start training camp last week he’d welcome Brent back.
Brent retired about 24 hours before the Cowboys were to leave for training camp last July and before the league could hand down any punishment.
“He’s come a long way and he’s ready to go,” Schaffer said.