NFL | Ex-Seahawk Jerramy Stevens is suspended 2 games

TAMPA, Fla. — Embattled Tampa Bay tight end Jerramy Stevens will be serving another league-issued suspension, making him unavailable for at least the first two games of the 2008 season.

The NFL announced Wednesday that Stevens will be suspended for the Buccaneers' first two games for violating the league's substance abuse policy and will be fined for an additional game's wages. The suspension could increase to three games if Stevens gets into any additional trouble between now and the start of the season.

Meanwhile, the Buccaneers' re-signing of Stevens has triggered a firestorm on Tampa's sports talk radio.

"I've said I will not let this die," WDAE afternoon drive host Steve Duemig said. "I think it's disgusting that he's a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We talked about Stevens for four hours Monday, and there wasn't one dissenting opinion."

Shortly after Tampa Bay's 2007 season ended with an opening-round playoff loss to the Giants, a lengthy investigative story in The Seattle Times chronicled a disturbing portrait of Stevens' legal woes at Washington, including a sexual assault case in 2000.

Citing insufficient evidence, prosecutors declined to file a rape charge against Stevens, who was suspended one game by the league last season because of a March 2007 DUI conviction in Arizona.

"Our phones haven't stopped ringing since the Bucs announced Stevens is back," said WDAE program director Mike Killabrew. "I know we are the flagship station for the Bucs, but this community is in an uproar."

Stevens originally signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent on April 29, 2007, after playing his first five NFL seasons in Seattle. He made it through last season with no further off-field incidents.

"Obviously, I'm aware of what's going on," Stevens said Wednesday. "It's not something I can control. The fans in the community are concerned and I understand that. But the fans I've met have been supportive. Obviously, I know I've made some mistakes. The only way I can be a better person is to focus forward."

Bucs general manager Bruce Allen said, "I appreciate our fans' feelings, but we do take into account everything we believe."

On Wednesday, Stevens received support from two veteran teammates.

"His past is his past," said cornerback Ronde Barber. "He's been nothing but a model guy for us, great in the locker room. He got in some bad situations, running with the wrong people, but as long as Jerramy's my teammate, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt. The guy is immensely talented. I think he's working hard to be the right guy."

Linebacker Derrick Brooks also welcomed Stevens back as the Bucs seek to repeat as division champions.

"Jerramy fit in well here last year," said Brooks. "We as players had no problems with him. He made his contributions when his number was called and he put the team on his back in some games. Obviously, things outside of here we don't judge anybody. We keep an open-arm policy and we don't focus on the negative. We focus on the positive, and he's been a positive teammate."

WDAE's Duemig said he won't abandon a hot-button topic, and is planning a public protest at the team's upcoming fan fest.

"I'm protesting this move, and I'd like to see Jerramy Stevens dismissed from this football team," he said. "This might be the most passionate issue I've ever attacked in 17 years on the radio in this town."