TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Michael Pittman was suspended by the NFL without pay for three games and fined an additional two games’ pay Tuesday for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

Pittman was indicted last June in Arizona on two counts of aggravated assault for intentionally ramming his sport-utility vehicle into a car carrying his wife, 2-year-old son and the couple’s baby sitter.

“Three games is a lot, but it could’ve been a lot worse,” Pittman said, adding that his wife, teammates and coaches are standing behind him.

“But it is a sense of relief because all year long it’s been in the back of my mind. … Last year I had a lot of pressure on me, out there playing and thinking about other things. But right now, I know what I got and what I have to do.”

The seventh-year pro, one of the stars in Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl victory two seasons ago, pleaded guilty March 25 to one count of endangerment in exchange for prosecutors dropping charges of aggravated assault and aggravated domestic violence. The latter charge was filed because of a previous domestic-violence conviction in July 2001.

Pittman was sentenced to 30 days in jail and was released after serving 14 days. The sentence also included three years of supervised probation and a fine and surcharge totaling $4,500.

The running back’s suspension begins on Sept. 5, when the Bucs open the regular season at Washington. He’s eligible to return on Sept. 27, the day after Tampa Bay faces the Oakland Raiders in Week 3.

Pittman is scheduled to earn a base salary of $1.5 million this year. The suspension will cost him $468,750, or $93,750 per paycheck missed.

The announcement came as the Bucs opened a three-day minicamp that Pittman is attending. He is eligible to participate in all preseason practices and games.

“Obviously, it’s a blow to our football team,” coach Jon Gruden said. “Michael Pittman’s going to get an opportunity to serve this suspension and come back, hopefully, a much better man. Hopefully our whole football team, including Michael, will learn from this situation.”

Pittman, who started 13 games last season while rushing for 751 yards and no touchdowns, spent four years with the Arizona Cardinals before signing with the Bucs as a free agent in 2002.

This is Pittman’s second suspension related to domestic violence. He missed the season opener with the Cardinals in 2001 after he was arrested in a previous case in the Phoenix area.

“The league has looked into everything that was involved with all of the previous cases and felt that this was a just punishment and we agreed,” Bucs general manager Bruce Allen said.

“It’s a severe penalty. There’s a fine included. It’s longer than the sentence he got in Arizona. He understands what he did wrong. He understands what the future holds for him.”

Pittman’s future with the Bucs has been a subject of speculation because of his legal problems and the signing of free agent Charlie Garner, the former Oakland star who will enter training camp as the projected starter at running back.

Pittman said he plans to participate in camp, then spend time during the suspension working out at the IMG Academy in nearby Bradenton.

AP-ES-06-22-04 1619EDT