The NFL suspended Browns WR Donté Stallworth indefinitely without pay on Thursday, two days after he pleaded guilty to a DUI manslaughter charge in Miami.

"There is no reasonable dispute that your continued eligibility for participation at this time would undermine the integrity of and public confidence in our league," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in a letter to Stallworth. "Accordingly, I have decided to suspend you indefinitely, effective immediately.  In due course, we will contact your representatives to schedule a meeting with you, after which I will make a final determination on discipline."

Stallworth, 28, was sentenced to 30 days in prison for striking and killing Mario Reyes on March 14. Stallworth's blood-alcohol level was .126, according to Miami Beach police. He was also sentenced to eight years of probation, two years of house arrest and 1,000 hours of community service, and he reportedly reached a financial settlement with Reyes' family.

"The conduct reflected in your guilty plea resulted in the tragic loss of life and was inexcusable," Goodell wrote. "While the criminal justice system has determined the legal consequences of this incident, it is my responsibility as NFL Commissioner to determine appropriate league discipline for your actions, which have caused irreparable harm to the victim and his family, your club, your fellow players and the NFL."

Goodell also noted that Stallworth's conduct "plainly violates" the league's personal-conduct and substance-abuse policy and that there was "ample evidence to warrant significant discipline" against the veteran wide receiver.

Goodell will make a final decision on discipline on Stallworth after meeting with him. Stallworth is scheduled to be released from prison next month. He is barred from the Browns' facilities and cannot participate in any team activities while he awaits Goodell's ruling.

Said Browns general manager George Kokinis on Thursday: “We support the action taken by the commissioner today and will continue to work closely with the league regarding this matter.”

The PFW spin

Upon Stallworth's sentencing on Tuesday, Miami-Dade County State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle explained why a plea agreement was able to be reached:

"Every case that we prosecute, especially those that involve the death of a human being, is closely scrutinized to ensure that a fair and just resolution is reached for all parties," Rundle said in a statement. "We have specifically looked at the unique facts involved with this charge, Mr. Stallworth's excellent pre-incident history of community service, abundant references that attest to his good character, his lack of any traffic violations or criminal convictions, his full and complete post-incident cooperation with law enforcement, and his willingness to accept complete responsibility for his actions. For all of these reasons, a just resolution of this case has been reached."

In his criminal case, Stallworth's clean record before the morning of March 14 was an asset, one his legal defense could use in his favor. So was his contrition. His ability to strike a financial settlement with the Reyes family also helped secure a quick resolution to his legal case.

Thursday's events likely dashed any hopes Stallworth may have had of getting a similarly swift resolution with the NFL, one that would have returned him to the field in short order. It was telling that the league noted that "all NFL employees recognize that alcohol-related violations of law will not be tolerated and that they will be held accountable over and above any sanctions imposed by a court of law" and that "the level of discipline is significantly increased in cases involving aggravating circumstances and/or repeat offenses." Rams DE Leonard Little received an eight-game suspension in 1999 in connection with a similar case, but given Goodell's quick and pointed response to Stallworth's guilty plea, any suspension in excess of eight games would not come as a great surprise.

Given that Goodell has judged that the prospect of Stallworth being on an active roster would "undermine the integrity of and public confidence in our league," the question is, what conditions will he have to meet to return to the game? The Stallworth suspension comes as ex-Falcons QB Michael Vick, who was indefinitely suspended by the NFL in August 2007, serves out the final weeks of his sentence on federal dogfighting charges in home confinement. Goodell will likely soon have to make a decision on Vick's future; can anything be gleaned from the league's handling of the Stallworth case?

If nothing else, we were reminded Thursday of Goodell's great concern for the league's image. He has strengthened the personal-conduct policy, leading to harsher punishments for players who run afoul of the law. Earlier this year, he notified all clubs that "there will be increased emphasis on addressing DUIs and other misconduct," the league said Thursday.

The NFL could not allow the perception to take hold that it was not taking Stallworth's case seriously, not with considerable public sentiment that Stallworth's sentence was somewhat light. Goodell had the standing to suspend Stallworth, and ample reason to do so. He was not going to waste any time doing it.