Intel EtherExpress PRO/1000 experience the same issue as the Broadcoms do, too, under certain conditions:
Linux kernel message: “NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out”
The workaround is to disable TCP segmentation offloading (TSO) with ethtool.
I feel as though there is no good Gigabit Ethernet controller that one can use with Linux. Can someone prove me wrong?