Irving, TX (Sports Network) - The Dallas Cowboys placed Josh Brent on the
reserve/non-football illness list on Wednesday, less than a week after the
defensive tackle was arrested on intoxication manslaughter charges following a
car accident that killed teammate Jerry Brown.
The Cowboys official site stated that Brent did sustain some physical injuries
from the tragic incident, which occurred early Saturday morning, in addition
emotional suffering caused by the loss of his close friend Brown. The two were
also teammates together at the University of Illinois.
By placing him on the NFI list, Brent will be able to remain with the team and
attend a limited number of meetings and functions. He was also in attendance
for Tuesday's memorial service honoring Brown, a linebacker who had spent the
season on Dallas' practice squad.
"Josh is part of our family. We have unconditional love for him," said coach
Jason Garrett. "And we're going to make sure that we support him in every way
we can. Players, coaches, our organization, and make him feel that support
every way -- having him be here, and knowing that people are around him to
help him and he can call us, he can just be around us, he can cry, he can
laugh -- he can do whatever he needs to do and we'll be there to help him."
Brent was also charged with driving while intoxicated after the crash, in
which reports from the Irving Police Department determined he was operating
his vehicle at a high rate of speed and hit an outside curb that caused it to
flip at least one time. He spent the night in the Irving City Jail and did not
travel with the team for Sunday's 20-19 win at Cincinnati.
The 24-year-old started five games in place of an injured Jay Ratliff at nose
tackle this season and recorded 22 tackles and 1.5 sacks over 12 overall
contests.
To fill the available roster spot, the Cowboys signed defensive tackle Brian
Schaefering on Wednesday.
Schaefering appeared in all 16 games for the Cleveland Browns the past two
seasons and made nine starts in 2010, but was waived by the team during
preseason cuts.
The Sports Network