Josh Brent will no longer be seen on the Cowboys sideline — or any sideline, for that matter.
The defensive tackle announced his retirement from the NFL on Thursday, stating that he would like to focus his full attention on his life away from the football field.
Brent was charged with intoxication manslaughter after a Dec. 8 car crash that killed his passenger, Cowboys teammate Jerry Brown. He has not played a down since.
“I am at a point where my main focus is all about getting the priorities in my life in order,” Brent said in a statement provided by the team. “Those priorities are more important than football. Doing the right things in life are more important than football. I love the game very much. I love my teammates, but this is the right thing for me to do.”
The 25-year-old Illinois product was charged with driving with a blood-alcohol content of more than twice the legal limit and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Â He has twice tested positive for marijuana while out on bond awaiting trial, with one positive test resulting in a 20-day jail sentence.
In speaking with reporters Thursday, both Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett and owner Jerry Jones said they supported Brent’s decision to focus on his personal life.
“I promised Jerry’s mother that we would support Josh in every way we could,” Jones said. “That’s been our only thought since the accident is to support him and support our team in their support of him.”
Brent retires with a career total of 44 tackles and 1.5 sacks in three NFL seasons.
