Dallas, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Former Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent has been sentenced to 180 days in jail, two days after he was found guilty of intoxication manslaughter for a December 2012 automobile accident that killed a former teammate.
In addition to the jail term, Brent was also given 10 years of probation. He could have faced a 20-year prison sentence.
On Wednesday, a jury found Brent responsible for the death of Jerry Brown, a linebacker on the Cowboys' practice squad who did not survive injuries sustained when Brent crashed his Mercedes while driving with a blood alcohol level well above the legal limit.
The jury reconvened on Thursday to begin deliberations for sentencing.
Brent, who appeared in 44 games over three seasons with Dallas from 2010-12, has not played in an NFL contest since the accident. He spent the final four weeks of the 2012 season on the reserve/non-football illness list as a result of injuries from the incident and announced his retirement over the summer while awaiting trial on the intoxication manslaughter charges.
The Cowboys selected Brent in the seventh round of the 2010 draft out of Illinois, where the 25-year-old also was a teammate of Brown. He recorded 44 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks while making five starts during his tenure in Dallas.
Brown's mother had pushed for a lenient sentence after publicly forgiving Brent.
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