The NFL has suspended coach Jim Tressel until the seventh week of the 2011 season.
CBS Sports reporter Mike Freeman was the first to report Tressel’s suspension.
The six game suspension for Tressel is a harsher penalty than the five games Tressel was suspended for by the NCAA.
The Indianapolis Colts hired Tressel on Friday as a game-day consultant.
Coach Jim Caldwell made the announcement during a conference call with reporters saying Tressel will help with replays and coaches challenges. It will free up the other coaches to focus on the next play, rather than the last.
Tressel resigned from head coach of the Ohio State football team on May 30 following an investigation that linked him to knowledge of players receiving improper benefits.
Tressel had been suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season for withholding information from the university and the NCAA while his team was under investigation. Back in December six OSU players were suspended by the NCAA for selling or trading uniforms and other memorabilia to a Columbus tattoo-parlor owner.
The 58-year old coach has been accused of knowingly providing false information to the NCAA and playing ineligible players. Tressel’s players were accused of selling memorabilia and game paraphernalia for cash and tattoos. Additionally the OSU football program was under investigation for the potential selling of cars to players and relatives at discounted prices.
In 10 seasons at Ohio State Tressel Tressel led the Buckeyes to eight BCS bowl games, five BCS bowl wins, seven Big 10 titles, a 9-1 record against Michigan, and the 2002 National Title. Tressel’s contract was renewed last spring through 2014. He earned about $3.7 million annually in salary and other incentives.
Leave a Reply