BEREA — The Browns wasted no time in cutting ties with receiver Donte Stallworth.

The NFL reinstated Stallworth on Monday following the Super Bowl, and the Browns terminated his contract Monday afternoon. The team issued a one-sentence press release and didn’t provide a statement.

The Browns are thin at receiver, especially ones with experience, but decided bringing back Stallworth wasn’t worth it. He was due a $1 million roster bonus March 20 and $1.5 million in salary in 2010.

Stallworth was suspended for the 2009 season after pleading guilty to DUI manslaughter and serving 24 days in jail following the death of pedestrian Mario Reyes in Miami. Stallworth was suspended Aug. 13 by commissioner Roger Goodell for causing “irreparable harm to the victim and his family, your club, your fellow players and the NFL.”

Goodell met with Stallworth last month and declared him ready for reinstatement Friday at his pre-Super Bowl news conference.

“I think he recognizes what he did and the horrific nature and the unfortunate outcome and I think he’s prepared himself to get back in and play,” Goodell said.

The contract termination is the first significant roster move by the new Browns regime of president Mike Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert, who said last week owner Randy Lerner would be involved in the Stallworth decision. Heckert was in Philadelphia when Stallworth played there in 2006.

“I LOVE TOM HECKERT!!!!! He was my guy in Philly & he’s my guy now … always … nothing but love from me to him… #truestory,” Stallworth wrote on his Twitter.com account, D_Stallworth18, Monday afternoon.

Stallworth, a first-round pick of the Saints in 2002, was signed to a seven-year, $35 million contract by former Browns GM Phil Savage in 2008. He was hampered by injuries throughout the season and finished with 17 catches for 170 yards. He received a $4.5 million bonus the night before the wreck that killed Reyes.

“thanks everybody for their support & who sent positive messages to me regarding my reinstatement, much appreciated… thank you & God bless,” Stallworth posted Saturday on Twitter.

Contact Scott Petrak at 329-7253 or spetrak@chroniclet.com.

---

Print this story
Report an inappropriate comment

---

In order to comment, you must agree to our user agreement and discussion guidelines.

Need help? Email Us.

---