Steelers QB Roethlisberger suspended 6 games
NEW YORK
Commissioner Roger Goodell made the announcement a week after
prosecutors decided not to charge /*Roethlisberger*/ after a
20-year-old college student accused him of sexually assaulting her
in a Georgia nightclub in March.
Goodell said the league's conduct policy gave him the right to
impose discipline.
"I recognize that the allegations in Georgia were disputed and
that they did not result in criminal charges being filed against
you," he said in his letter to the two-time Super Bowl winner, a
six-year veteran.
"My decision today is not based on a finding that you violated
Georgia law, or on a conclusion that differs from that of the local
prosecutor. That said, you are held to a higher standard as an NFL
player, and there is nothing about your conduct in Milledgeville
that can remotely be described as admirable, responsible, or
consistent with either the values of the league or the expectations
of our fans."
Roethlisberger must undergo a "comprehensive behavioral
evaluation by medical professionals" and may not attend any team
offseason activities until that evaluation is completed.
The suspension could be reduced to four games for good behavior.
Sitting out all six games would cost him an estimated $2.8 million.