Donte' Stallworth Suspended for Entire 2009 NFL Season

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth has been suspended without pay for the entire 2009 season as a result of his guilty plea to DUI manslaughter. The NFL announced the punishment Thursday, one day shy of four months after Stallworth struck and killed a pedestrian named Mario Reyes while driving drunk.

Stallworth will be reinstated after the Super Bowl of 2010. He may not participate in any league or team activities until then.

More Coverage: Stallworth Ruling Can't Be Harsh Enough

Goodell said the following in a letter to Stallworth that was released by the NFL:

As you recognized both at and following the hearing, guilt or innocence as a matter of criminal law is not the same as a violation of NFL policies. Here, longstanding league policies make clear that discipline is warranted "if a player is convicted of or admits to a violation of the law...relating to the use of alcohol." The degree of discipline may take into account "aggravating circumstances, including but not limited to felonious conduct or felonious injury or death of third parties..." All of those factors are present here. There is no question that your actions had tragic consequences to an innocent man and his family, and that you have violated both the Substances of Abuse and Personal Conduct Policies. In that respect, you are clearly guilty of conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the NFL. ...

Nor do I find that the outcome in the Florida courts is controlling in terms of determining disciplinary consequences within the NFL. The considerations that applied in Florida, particularly with respect to criminal standards of proof, claims of contributory negligence, consideration of crowded court dockets, and the like, do not enter into this decision. Without regard to the merits of the disposition of the criminal case, I believe that further consequences are necessary.

The punishment is yet another statement by Goodell that he will deal more harshly with players who misbehave off the field than his predecessors have. In 1999, Rams defensive end Leonard Little was suspended for eight games after he killed a woman while driving drunk.

Stallworth was sentenced to 30 days in jail after he plead guilty and was released from jail after serving 24 days of that sentence. He has also been given a lifetime suspension of his driver's license, two years' house arrest and eight years' probation. Stallworth also reached an undisclosed financial settlement with Reyes' family.

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 9)

8-13-2009 @ 10:26AM

roy said...

Thankgod for Goodell. Too bad he wasn't commissioner when the SLASHER Ray Lewis was arrested.

8-13-2009 @ 11:55AM

puffy720 said...

Ray Lewis was found not guilty. Cant be punished for not doing anything.

8-13-2009 @ 1:40PM

ivo610 said...

Ray Lewis is a model citizen, was just in the wrong place at the wrong time

8-13-2009 @ 2:08PM

junior said...

What a bummer, won't be able to make more millions.

8-13-2009 @ 10:32AM

jim said...

SO IF YOU GET DRUNK AND KILL A MAN YOU GET 24 DAYS IN JAIL AND A YEAR SITTING AT HOME NOT PLAYING YOUR GAME. BUT IF YOU HOLD DOGFIGHTS YOU GO TO JAIL FOR A FEW YEARS AND GET KICKED OUT OF FOOTBALL FOR A FEW YEARS SOMETHING STINKS HERE

8-13-2009 @ 10:55AM

ac77inc said...

Jim - I totally agree with you. A human life is not more important? Not to mention the family left behind?

8-13-2009 @ 11:04AM

fondonella4 said...

And that is exactly what i said when i first heard it, what a shame he killed some old lady but lost nothing of major importance, but be Mike Vick and kill a dog and damn near blackballed forever, so i guess human life is worth much less then a dogs life

8-13-2009 @ 11:09AM

Mr. Ed said...

People like you Jim will never "get it". Vick lied to the Feds repeatedly. He lied to Goodell. He only became "sorry" when he was caught. Vick went to jail for lying to the government ivestigators. Not just dog-fighting. Stallworth was a man and took responsibility immediately. Vick is and always will be...scum.

8-13-2009 @ 11:35AM

Stewart Allen said...

Thats the half of it, a friend of mine's son did the same thing, he got 15 years!

8-13-2009 @ 11:47AM

Georgia Girl said...

Agreed. What stinks is application of the law in Florida.

8-13-2009 @ 12:00PM

POCHANTIS said...

i agree........ and all of my southern grandfathers and greatgrand fathers prided themselves because of there winning dogs and chickens..... wheres the value? a human or an animal.......

8-13-2009 @ 12:07PM

Dean said...

Vick was not kicked out of football for 2 years. He was in jail doing his time. Now is the time to kicj him out of football. Not just the 6 games if he is signed by some jackass owner.

8-13-2009 @ 12:08PM

Rose said...

Jim

The ONLY reason Stalworth did not go to jail for years and years is because the family of the victim did not want an eye for an eye. They realized by having Stalworth serve a severe jail sentence would not bring back their family member so they plead with the judge not to give Stalworth a lengthy prison sentence.

8-13-2009 @ 12:31PM

rashasbetter said...

Yea, no kidding. If I was Michael Vick, I'd be pretty f*ckin pissed. I grew up on football, but its getting harder to actually want to watch, it's become a joke. There used to be a zero tolerance policy, but now I guess it doesn't matter what the players do. They basically have the greenlight to go murder/rape/fight/kill anybody with minor consequences.

8-13-2009 @ 12:50PM

kycharo said...

Finally! Someone states the obvious.

8-13-2009 @ 1:26PM

Welcome, Chris! said...

SO true...ive been saying it forever..WTF vick fights dogs and does 3 years in jail and donte kills a MAN...took a human beings LIFE and does 24 days in jail? shows you how ass backwards our court system is

8-13-2009 @ 1:27PM

sphb65 said...

Yes, you are correct. Something does stink. VICK! ! ! ! !! !

8-13-2009 @ 1:48PM

needjj said...

they are all screwed up, take away their overpaid salaries and make them get a regular job.. when i grew up you NEVER heard of all this crap,, many pro athletes are former gang bangers or street thugs anyway

8-14-2009 @ 2:22AM

RENEE ANTOINETTE said...

I totally feel you on that one. I think they had it out for Vick. Just doesn't make sense. Stallworth actually killed someone...Geez! Good thing he plays (or doesn't) for the Browns. Not enough exposure here in Cali of them.