Some in Dallas baffled that Josh Brent is still a Cowboy


Josh Brent, the Cowboys defensive tackle who was charged with intoxication manslaughter in the crash that killed his teammate Jerry Brown, remains a member of the team. And not everyone in Dallas can understand the Cowboys’ thinking on that.

According to Ed Werder of ESPN, the decision of the Cowboys to keep Brent around all these months after he allegedly drove drunk and killed another Cowboy is confusing to some within the organization.


The NFL is expected to rule on Brent’s status any day now, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the NFL suspended Brent indefinitely and considered reinstating him only after his legal issues are over. Brent is currently scheduled to go on trial in September.

But whenever Brent’s legal issues are over, it appears that he’ll still be a Cowboy. And ultimately, that means Cowboys owner and General Manager Jerry Jones still believes that Brent can help the team win some day, even if that day probably won’t be until 2014 at the earliest.

55 responses to “Some in Dallas baffled that Josh Brent is still a Cowboy

  1. One can only surmise that the Cowboys are really making sure they have their rear ends covered and don’t want any legal repercussions over this case. Although they can probably just cut this guy free and clear without any problems.

  2. A terrible situation indeed, but this guy isn’t Aaron Hernandez. It was an accident, and that was his friend. You think he goes a day without thinking about what he did? He shouldn’t have been drinking but don’t put this guy in the same category..

  3. You know, both of those knuckleheads were I the car and made th decision to drive after drinking! Brent lost his best friend in the accident, and personally, I don’t think any “legal” punishment would hurt this guy more than the guilt he already is feeling for making a poor decision! I applaud the cowboys for standing behind this guy, he needs people to love and support him right now! I imagine just waking up in the morning is hard for this guy! Classy on the part of the boys IMO

  4. With the owner of the Cowboys being a “social drunk” it’s probably looked at as bad luck having the wreck and killing somebody.

  5. It’s because Jerry Jones is an enabler. He’s probably fighting his own substance abuse problem and sees a lot of himself in Brent. By “being there” for Brent, Jerry gets to stroke his ego while looking in the mirror with that glass of scotch in his hand. Remember: when it comes to the Cowboys, it always is about Jerry.

  6. I’m not surprised that the cowboys kept him on the roster after what had happened. I understand their stance that they want to show that they are supporting a team mate through a difficult time. What I don’t understand is why they kept him on the roster after several failed drug tests. It seems like JerryJones is more interested in Josh Brent’s future than he is, based on his actions. You’d think that guy would clean his act up when he knew he was already on thin ice….

  7. Jerry Brown was my brothers teammate.. He was not intoxicated.. He wasn’t drinking.. It’s just bad situation in response to the fellow above.. #RIPJERRYBROWN Im sure Josh Brent is sorry for what he did.. It’s times for him to get his life together.

  8. Seriously some of you are as delusional as your owner and GM. It wasnt just one so called mistake. He was previously busted for DUI and then he subsequently drove again drunk and killed someone. To top it off while in limbo with what he did and the courts he flunked not once but twice a drug test. To me and any rational person this guy is a sociopath and to stick up for him is ridiculous. JJ is reminding me more and more of the late Al Davis in the inexplicable decisions he made in his later years.

  9. siggtacular says:
    Jul 16, 2013 7:42 PM
    Yea I do think he thinks about his dead teammate a lot. Especially while he’s sitting around firing up blunts. Wow he really feels bad. Sitting there violating his probation. Seems like real remorse and he’s losing sleep over it no doubt.

  10. Jerry Brown had a daughter and the word is if Brent gets straightened out he can help provide for her.

    The reason you have to prosecute such things is because next time it may not be a friend but someone else. Jerry’s mother has pleaded with JJ to give him a shot. Now she needs to plead with Brent to chill on the kush.

  11. Baffled?

    I’ve been a Cowboys fan since ’70 and I’m not one bit baffled, as long as Jerrah is at the Helm…

  12. Go Go dancers in the Stadium…

    Josh Brent the drunk idiot is still on the roster…

    Jerry undressing his Head Coach in public…

    Sometimes I am so embarrassed to be a cowboys fan…

    No, a lot of times.

  13. What a classless organization. And, it wasn’t an “accident”. He made a decision to drive drunk. Oh, and if he killed some innocent person on the highway instead of a “knucklehead” would you still stand behind “the boys” a decision to keep him? I guess I shouldn’t expect anything less from fans of this pathetic franchise.

  14. @Patriot42

    SERIOUSLY? You think you have ANY platform in which to speak? Hernandez PURPOSELY did what he did. Brent made a stupid decision, but didn’t purposely end his best friend’s life – that is why it is called manslaughter. Hernandez will be prosecuted for Murder. BIG difference.

    “The bottom line to Jones is winning and I’m sure he would put Hernandez on the Cowboys rooster if he could.”

    REALLY? The bottom line for ANY team is winning, Einstein. Why do you think the Pats took a chance on both Hernandez AND Dennard with their known issues? Don’t try to divert attention from mistakes by Kraft and the Pats with Hernandez and Dennard by saying Jones would put Hernandez on the team.

    The Cowboys passed on both Hernandez and Dennard like 30 other teams did when both players were drafted. The reasons for passing on both players were obvious, and now the Pats get to deal with the fallout from those decisions.

  15. JJ is following the Al Davis model. Al proved it didnt work in the modern age. U hav to make good choices with high character players. When u have a bad apple u have to cut bait. Dont bother me I have suffered for yrs. Cowboys fans have much suffering left to do. RIP Al

  16. Without taking the time to actually look, I was thinking it might have to do with the accelerated cap hit vs the money they have available.

  17. “There are still a lot of people at Valley Ranch who are baffled about the fact that this player remains on the roster.”

    This is a very delusional team period.

  18. As a transplant living in Dallas the conventional wisdom is that the Cowboys are just waiting for the league office to do their dirty work for them, that way they still look like a caring organization willing to give a guy a shot without actually having to pay him as he’ll be suspended. Typical sleazy move out of Valley Ranch.

  19. anyone who is baffled or enraged about this should just Google danny Heatley. killed his teammate while drunk driving like a nascar driver and Ottawa kept him on the team

  20. Makes you want to slap that smile off his face. The guy is a loser and a train wreck. He should be in jail for violating.

    Coddling these guys just puts fuel on the fire so don’t be surprised when he forks up again and someone else’s life is changed because of it……

  21. How many of you have ever had a drink or more and driven but didn’t have an accident? C’mon all you judgmental folks, raise your hand! Go ahead, cast the first stone since you didn’t get caught. How many of you allowed your friend to drive after drinking? Uh huh… keep those hands up. Brent made a really bad decision and it cost him his best friends life. Ever been there? No? Hmmmm. Jerry is keeping him at his best friends families request. He is trying to help this guy if possible vs judging him. All those who didn’t raise your hand push the thumbs down – the rest of you honest folks that believe in second chances (as the law permits) can click thumbs up….

  22. It really is strange. Coach Garrett seems to think it makes them look like they support players that need help. But if you really care about your players, you will keep a Josh Brent away from them.

    I just don’t get this.

  23. How could you not be absolutely dumbfounded that this criminal is not only free walking the streets, but also on the payroll of the Dallas Cowboys. Make no mistake, this is a murderer. You can call it vehicular homicide, if you like, but every time a person gets into an automobile under the influence of drugs or alcohol, he is playing Russian roulette with your mother, father, sister or brother, son or daughter etc. What kind of punishment would you give a person that put one bullet in a revolver and spun the magazine and then put their finger on the trigger and put the barrel of the pistol to the temple of your loved ones? Josh Brown murdered his friend and even though some may see it differently, the man killed his friend and still it wasn’t enough of a wake-up for him to stay away from drugs and alcohol. The man has failed more than 10 alcohol and drug tests mandated by his parole hearing. This is a disgusting story and why Jerry Jones would keep a man like this on his payroll, I’ll never understand. Not only have I lost any scrap of respect for Josh Brown, but Jerry Jones is now swimming in the same pool of filth with Brown because he hasn’t divorced himself from a man that respects no one, not even the life he stole from his best friend as he drove him to his death after getting himself all liquored up and having a good time. Apparently, drinking and taking drugs and having a good time is more sacred than; teammates, friends, his family, his employer and for God’s sake… The man killed. This is ridiculous… I’m done.

  24. It is either a money issue (saves money/legal recourse by cutting him after league ban) or a stupid clause in the cba/substance abuse policy that prevents it.

  25. In Jerry’s mind Brent is so much more important to the team than that scrub that was along for the ride. Who by the way, had to go and get myself killed and louse things up..

  26. Does this guy have pictures of Jerrah playing golf with Satan? Because that’s the only rational explanation why he’s still on the roster!

  27. The real story here is that the Cowboys haven’t been a good team for 18 years. There’s a whole generation of kids that don’t understand why a team that isn’t half as successful as the Bungles are called “America’s Team”. They’ve been the laughingstock of the NFC East for almost two decades.

  28. Come on now, we’re talking about Jerry Jones’ Cowboys. Even if a guy were on the FBI’s Top 10 list, they could still find a home on the Cowboys’ 53.

  29. It’s hard to be baffled when you look at the history of the cowboys. They don’t really care about criminal infractions. This is team that’s done cocaine during games. Then “the white house” in the 90’s and all those guys. Dez Bryant beat his own mother and he’s on the team. This isn’t baffling, it’s business as usual for Dallas.

  30. As long as Garrett is the Cowboys coach, it doens’t matter who is or isn’t on the roster. He is the weak link, and Jerry doesn’t see it. He dogged it on offense to get Phillips fired, and then took over the job. He just sucks as a coach. But yeah there is NO reason Brent should still be on any NFL roster. The fact that someone else won’t have a roster spot while they carry a non playing, drunk driving, killed in the spot.

  31. They just needed to release him last year instead of waiting for the League Office to do something. It would help in Cap Space if they let him go wouldn’t it? He’s just dead weight on the team because he isn’t going to get to play for a very long time. Why not get rid of him now. JJ is a idiot if he keeps him around banking on something that’s not going to happen. Hell he got DRUNK and KILL another Player. As orakpocalypse every team has players with shading backgrounds as for as Dez is concerned he has turned his live around. Have you heard of any of the Cowboys in TROUBLE with the Law this off season ( NO ).

  32. I didn’t read all the coverage of this tragedy but I was wondering if anyone can point out the article which states that Brown offered to drive…Brown suggested they get a taxi…Brown refused to get in the car with a drunk Brent but Brent forced him.

    The desire to ostracize, banish, punish in this country is embarassing.

    It was an accident.

    Lucky is the 24 year old who didn’t make bad decisions.

  33. Its disgusting hes still on the roster. What sort of example does that set ?

    I’m no Patriots fan at all but they were classy the second they cut Hernandez when he was arrested and charged.

    Why on earth have Dallas kept him ? If Brent killed a close friend/relative of Jones i’m sure he wouldnt be on the roster then !

    What example is this showing kids ? Drink drive, kill someone and still an NFL team will look after you. Pathetic.

  34. There’s a huge difference between supporting a troubled player and enabling them.

    Jovan Belcher was stopped by police the morning he shot his girlfriend, but they let him go.

    Had some of these athletes been made to suffer the consequences of their actions in college, they just might have altered their behavior sooner, saving themselves and others a lot of grief.

  35. There’s a difference between supporting a troubled player and enabling one? Brent has had chances since he suffered his “accident” Yes, it was unfortunate what happened to Brown, but Brent has hence failed two drug tests since then. At this point the fact that he has not learned his lesson is atrocious. As a Cowboys fan, Jones has got to learn to draw the line somewhere. We have enough DL support where clearly someone who can careless about his team should be shown the door.

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