Cowboys’ Jerry Brown dead, teammate Josh Brent charged

AP

Cowboys linebacker Jerry Brown has died in an early morning car crash, and Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent has been charged with intoxication manslaughter in Brown’s death.

The police department in Irving, Texas, has confirmed that Brown died in a crash early this morning and Brent (whose legal name is Josh Price-Brent) was charged.

“Officers at the scene believed alcohol was a contributing factor in the crash; therefore, Price-Brent was asked to perform field sobriety tests,” a statement from the Irving Police Department said. “Based on the results of the tests, along with the officer’s observations and conversations with Price-Brent, he was arrested for driving while intoxicated. He was transported to an area hospital for a mandatory blood draw. Once it was learned that the passenger of his vehicle had died as a result of the crash, Price-Brent was booked into the Irving City Jail on one count of Intoxication Manslaughter.”

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones released a statement expressing sadness at Brown’s death.

“We are deeply saddened by the news of this accident and the passing of Jerry Brown,” Jones said. “Our hearts and prayers and deepest sympathies are with the members of Jerry’s family and all of those who knew him and loved him.”

Brown and Brent were friends and teammates at Illinois before becoming teammates again with the Cowboys. Brown was 25.

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52 responses to “Cowboys’ Jerry Brown dead, teammate Josh Brent charged

  1. Why? Why do these players that make a lot more money than most of us not just rent a driver for the night? A limo, towncar, taxi, whatever as long as they aren’t driving. A limo costs a couple hundred for a night. I’m sure anybody would give up a couple hundred dollars to have a friend be alive. RIP Jerry Brown.

  2. Now maybe the NFL will finally crack down on drunk driving. 1st offenses basically get a slap on the wrist. It is a joke.

  3. Its not talked about a lot but all NFL teams have contracted drivers for this very situation.

    Any player that is going out on the town should just book the service and not even think about driving. Its sad, it was an accident but one young man will be buried and another one just buried his career.

  4. Very sad news, I just can’t believe that someone with $ can’t have a dd. When I go out I either have a sober driver or I take a cab, but never get behind the wheel. It is so sad to hear a young man of 25 has lost his life. RIP Jerry Brown.

  5. wow! that is terrible news out of Dallas.. really over shadows the game for tomorrow.. I have a feeling they may move this game back a day or two. not sure how you can play in a game after that.. rest in peace Brown. thoughts in prayers with the whole cowboy family.

    WhoDey

    sad it has to come to this for people to learn…

  6. I thought teams offered free taxis to all players, why don’t the players take advantage if this?
    A football related question is why was he out drinking only a few days before big game?
    The cowboys need to bring in a coach like Jimmie Johnson where players are not so comfortable and fear for there jobs.

  7. Drinking and driving is very stupid. you think people would learn. My prayers go out to Jerry Brown’s family and to the Dallas Cowboys organisation. This was tragic and totally avoidable.

  8. Man why can’t players ever learn? Teams offer carpool services for a reason, use them.
    ___________________________

    I recall reading somewhere either this past offseason or last that the league actually ended that program because it wasn’t be utilized anymore. That the players were doing as they pleased when they pleased despite an amazing program being instituted for them.

    Very sad for them, yes both. Two young men whose lives forever changed for what should have been common sense call for a cab.

  9. Maybe it would be best to offer condolences to the Cowboys, and skip all the nanny advice.

    It’s done, people.

  10. While i HATE the Cowboys as an Eagles fan, i am saddened to hear this.

    I hope the families of the deceased are able to overcome this and the driver can rehabilitate himself to become a better person.

  11. First of all, Condolences to the families…

    Now,

    The Cowboys are trying to make a playoff run and have to be totally focused on football…

    So two players are out till 2:30 in the morning the night before the team flight, getting drunk….

    Own it Jerry…it’s your mess

  12. While i HATE the Cowboys as an Eagles fan, i am saddened to hear this.

    I hope the families of the deceased are able to overcome this and the driver can rehabilitate himself to become a better person

    Why do people do this..No one gives a you know what who you cheer for, and who you hate.

  13. It’s getting to the point where so many NFL players are so irresponsible, particularly when it comes to driving a vehicle, that in the interest in player welfare and NFL public relations, some agreement has to be reached contractually to require taxis or other drivers for players.

    It’s not like this is the first, or even 1000th, case of drunk driving by an NFL player that has had a negative impact on player welfare and NFL public relations.

    If the NFL can make rules to prevent injuries on the field, they can make rules to prevent injuries, etc. off the field.

  14. klink6224 says: Dec 8, 2012 3:32 PM

    I recall reading somewhere either this past offseason or last that the league actually ended that program because it wasn’t be utilized anymore. That the players were doing as they pleased when they pleased despite an amazing program being instituted for them.
    ——————————————
    The league-sponsored program was indeed terminated for underuse – reportedly, players feared repercussions from the league by calling for the car if they were going out to get drunk – but similar programs are still available at the team level.

    Even if it’s in your “fan DNA” to hate the Cowboys, you can’t hate them today. RIP Jerry Brown.

  15. rgwhodey says:

    wow! that is terrible news out of Dallas.. really over shadows the game for tomorrow.. I have a feeling they may move this game back a day or two. not sure how you can play in a game after that.. rest in peace Brown. thoughts in prayers with the whole cowboy family.

    WhoDey

    sad it has to come to this for people to learn…
    —————————————–
    Given the events of last week in KC, I doubt that the day or time of the game gets changed. Focusing on the game may be the greatest kindness the two organizations and the league can do for the players, coaches, and staff.

  16. Truly sad news, my thoughts go out to Brown’s family and friends during what will be a very rough period of time.

    On a side note, who gives a message of condolence a thumbs down? Grow up.

  17. I can’t believe how much of a mess this past week has been. God help these families going through this garbage. A player takes the life of his girlfriend and then his own. To top it off, the worse part of it, they leave behind a little baby to go though the rest of his life without his biological parents.
    Now, 2 more players lose the rest of their lives. One through death, the other loses his freedom for life. All because of a stupid drink. Now 2 more families have to suffer along with them. Maybe this will save a few more lives by showing all of these players that they are not invincible, No one is.

  18. Very sad and unnecessary. Not a Cowboys fan but will cheer for them tomorrow. Not to make light of the situation – but maybe Bob Costas will come on the air tomorrow night and tell us all that now we need to ban all cars. Or ban alcohol. Come on Bob – give us all your very valuable opinion.

  19. U kno regardless of who ur team is…….The sadness is the same for everybody that reads what happened these past weeks with KC, Cleveland, and Dallas. PPl are Dying and it all seems like they didnt have to die. Suicides, DUI, Betrayal murder of your child’s parent, all senseless. I dnt read these stroies as a fan of the NFL, I read these Horror stories as a Human Being. A Baby lost her parents, a wife lost her 1st cousin, a mother lost her child, Someone lost a Brother, a uncle, a Nephew, The domino effect is just too much to think abt. Condolences to all those affected by these tragedies.

  20. Whats going on is a serious alcohol problem that is being swept under the rug by all involved and not just the chiefs and cowboys. Since when is it accepted behavior to be partying hard in jovans case 36 hours before a game and here, well what difference does it make now. In a league so drug concious is there absolutely no monitoring, never mind safety net assistance, for those using and abusing alcohol a substance as lethal as there is. God bless these young men and the rest of those in the pressure cooker of the modern day nfl.

  21. I dont know why my posts always get deleted, but I posted this earlier, and I tried to be respectful as I could. But my main point was, this was absolutely a tragedy. For both families. While tradgec, I simply tried to make a point, that both Brent & Brown both made poor decisions. One made the decision to drive, while the other made an equally bad decision, to get in the car with an intoxicated driver. It doesnt make this any less sad, but at some point people should start realizing the decisions they make can be deadly.

  22. I would never get in a car or vehicle driving if I had one sip of alcohol. People don’t think about if they go in the car themselves that they only would hurt themselves. they could kill many people but this isn’t the case his friend got in the car with him. When someone is a passenger with me I make sure I pay special attention even more so, you should always but most people think that way and become a better defensive driver that way with some of these people who drive badly not drunk. I go the speed limit with someone in the car. my parents I am thinking lol. I usually go no more the 5 miles over the speed limit because cops don’t try to stop you if it is five and under I don’t know if this is a written thing or what but everyone seems to think this and never get pulled over that I know. Cop would of had a bad day if he did. anyway you just don’t sip and drive. one sip. I don’t care. so many innocent lives are lost like that. yeah he knew his buddy was drunk and took a chance on getting in the car as a passanger this happens a lot but don’t you dare think the guy who died was at fault. You are responsible. this just makes me sick. He probably won’t get any jail time but probably hopefully lost his job

  23. These are NFL players. Gods to most people. Who you’d ever tell them they are doing wrong. These players have nobody steering them to make positive choices. Just a lot of YES men following them around waiting for handouts!!!

  24. I like what
    jahwerb says: Dec 8, 2012 3:20 PM

    Why? Why do these players that make a lot more money than most of us not just rent a driver for the night? A limo, towncar, taxi, whatever as long as they aren’t driving. A limo costs a couple hundred for a night. I’m sure anybody would give up a couple hundred dollars to have a friend be alive. RIP Jerry Brown.

    To add to that, I know a hundred fans would had gladly offered a ride to them; such a shame. God bless both of their families!!!

  25. Incidents like this happen every day, all over the US. It is a tragedy that such things still happen, but it is not as common as it once was. People are getting smarter about the dangers and incidents like this, while tragic, may save more lives than have been lost in this instance.

    Hopefully there will be a day when we no longer hear of stories like this one. A day when drinking and driving is no longer an issue. It’ll take another generation, but it’ll happen.

    Sad story of a young man cut down in the prime of his life, and another young mans life ruined over poor decision making.

  26. very sad… my heart goes out to the cowboys.

    these guys really are just kids- not to be condescending…but they really are so, so young.

  27. I would bet a lot of money that if given the choice, Brent would trade places with his friend Jones. It was a coin toss of a chance on which one of them drove that night and neither was thinking about the possible consequences of drinking and driving when they decided on who would drive that night. My prayers go out to both families.

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