Little consistency from NFL in past cases similar to Ruggs

Professional athletes running afoul of the law, particularly when it comes to driving under the influence, is certainly not a new phenomenon.

It is somewhat rare their actions result in the death of innocent people, as is the allegation against former Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs.

This appears to be the third such instance among active NFL players in the last quarter-century.

While all cases are different, there hasn’t been a great deal of consistency in the ramifications for the players’ actions.

Ruggs was released Tuesday night by the Raiders. The league could impose further discipline if another team tries to sign him.

For Donte Stallworth, a Cleveland Browns wide receiver, that was a one-year suspension. Leonard Little, a St. Louis Ram defensive end, got eight games.

Stallworth struck and killed a pedestrian around 7:15 a.m. on the morning of March 14, 2009, in Miami Beach, Florida.

His blood alcohol content was measured at .12. He was charged with DUI manslaughter before agreeing to a plea deal that saw him serve 24 days of a 30-day sentence. He was also instructed to do 1,000 hours of community service and eight years of probation.

The league suspended Stallworth for the 2009 season without pay, but he returned in 2010 and played in eight games for Baltimore in 2010, 11 for Washington in 2011 and finished his career with one game for New England in 2012.

Little was in a crash that killed a woman in 1998 in St. Louis.

Little was leaving a party to celebrate his 24th birthday when the fatal crash occurred around 11 p.m. He eventually pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 90 days in the city workhouse, four years of probation and 1,000 hours of community service.

Little was inactive the next four games and then put on the non-football injury list the rest of the season.

The NFL suspended him eight games the following season, but Little went on to a successful career.

He played in the league until 2009, winning a Super Bowl and being named an All-Pro in 2003.

Josh Brent was a part-time starter at nose tackle for the Dallas Cowboys in 2012 when he crashed his car while drunk in Texas at 2:21 a.m. on the morning of Dec. 8, killing his passenger.

The deceased was Cowboys’ teammate Jerry Brown.

Brent was placed on the non-football injury list the rest of the season and then announced his retirement after the season to focus on his legal case and off-the-field issues.

Brent was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 10 years’ probation in the case and served time in jail in early 2014.

Upon his release from jail and then a rehabilitation program, he was reinstated by the NFL and issued a 10-game suspension to start the 2014 season. He played 25 snaps in a Week 13 win over the Bears and was injured. Brent returned for the postseason and played in two playoff games for the Cowboys.

He retired after the season at 27 years old and accepted a job in the Cowboys’ scouting department.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.