Super Bowl 2011: The 10 Players Most Likely To Get Caught in Pre-Game Scandal

Barret Robbins went AWOL one day before the Raiders took on the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII. Stanley Wilson was caught doing cocaine and banned for life one day before the Bengals played the 49ers in Super Bowl XXIII.

The Super Bowl is a time where nerves are high-strung and pressure is mounting. There are distractions looming around every corner and some players simply cannot handle the pressure.

The Steelers and Packers are two of the most stable franchises in the NFL. By all accounts, both organizations are class acts, starting at the very top. Even so, here are some far-fetched, and some not so far-fetched instances in which a player in this year's Super Bowl could find themselves in the presence of a scandal.

10: James Harrison

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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 15: Linebacker James Harrison #92 of the Pittsburgh Steelers warms up prior to playing the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Heinz Field on January 15, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Sha

James Harrison once punched Aaron Francisco in the Super Bowl, drawing a 15-yard penalty. Harrison is certainly on my short list of guys I would want on my side in a bar fight. He could be the most intimidating player in the entire NFL.

Harrison has a tendency to let his emotions get the best of him. He does not hide the fact that he enjoys inflicting pain on others. This is a good thing on the football field, but could prove to be costly if some unruly fan in the Dallas area decides they want to try their luck against Harrison. A likely headline for this scandal could be "Unruly Fan Dismembered by Superhuman James Harrison."

9: Clay Matthews

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 31: Clay Matthews #52 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates a play as LaDainian Tomlinson #21 of the New York Jets looks on on October 31, 2010 at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Jim McIs

Clay Matthews is a Packer, but it is clear that he would like to be the successor to Viktor the Viking. Taking the Packers to the Super Bowl and abandoning them in their time of need would be the ultimate display of devotion to the Vikings.

He has the hair and look to be the next Viking. After the scandal, he could pursue Minnesota as a potential landing place, fulfilling his lifelong dreams. He would become the biggest mascot lookalike since Chris Bosh was on the Raptors.

8: Maurkice Pouncey

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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 23: Maurkice Pouncey #53 of the Pittsburgh Steelers is helped off of the field after being injured in the first quarter against the New York Jets during the 2011 AFC Championship game at Heinz Field on January 23, 2011 in Pittsbu

Maurkice Pouncey broke a bone in his ankle just one game before he would get his chance to play in the Super Bowl. He is the unquestionable anchor of the Steelers' line and although he will almost certainly see the Super Bowl again before he retires, it has to be disappointing.

Pouncey is a gamer. A player could be willing to take just about anything for a chance to play in a Super Bowl. Pouncey going out and pursuing PEDs would qualify as a scandal. That being said, most would agree that they would do worse to simply attend a Super Bowl, let alone play in one.

7: B.J. Raji

After scoring a touchdown, B.J. Raji finally had the opportunity to showcase his dancing abilities. In what is arguably one of the greatest touchdown celebrations of our time, Raji put on a show that was worthy of first place at an amateur stripping competition.

Overcome with the attention and drawn to his newly-found passion, don't be surprised to see Raji abandoning his team to pursue the art of dance.

6: Troy Polamalu

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PITTSBURGH - JANUARY 18: A detail of the hair of Troy Polamalu #43 of of the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Baltimore Ravens during the AFC Championship game on January 18, 2009 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Image

Troy Polamalu, the man with the million-dollar hair. Head and Shoulders has made Troy Polamalu and his world-famous hair the poster of their product. What is clearly the best mane of hair in the entire NFL (sorry, Peko) could stand in the way of Polamalu and the Super Bowl.

Polamalu has become so obsessed with his appearance, that a hair malfunction on the big day could put everything on hold. Everyone is nervous about Polamalu's injury status, but if his hair is not manageable on game day, you might see him pull his million-dollar insurance policy. There is no chance he steps in front of a camera without every lock flowing, though all of them usually are.

5: Aaron Rodgers

Many people probably thought Rodgers wouldn't break this list. I'm not sure if it is scandal-worthy, but earlier in the week Rodgers developed a beef with the cancer community after seemingly snubbing a cancer patient at the airport.

That isn't what would land him in a scandal before Super Bowl Sunday, though. Aaron Rodgers will surely be watching film and breaking down the Steelers during 90 percent of his free time before the big game. The ten percent of the time he is not, he just may find himself at a bar. If his competitive nature lures him into a game of pool with a local, Rodgers will perform his panted belt celebration after making each ball, leading to a potentially hostile scene.

4: Hines Ward

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PITTSBURGH - OCTOBER 4: Wide receiver Hines Ward #86 of the Pittsburgh Steelers smiles on the sideline against the San Diego Chargers in the second half at Heinz Field on October 4, 2009 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Hines Ward is always smiling. Which begs the question: why? It is clear by Ward's aggressive play that he is packed with hostility. His jaw-breaking, blindsiding play has some classifying him as a dirty player. A guard in a wide receiver body, Ward seems like the last player who would showcase a cheesy smile for 60 minutes.

My theory is that Ward is taking pre-game doses of a drug the NFL doesn't test for. This is all speculation, but to turn Ward into the giddy man you see before him, I suspect he is on nitrous oxide. Street name: Laughing Gas. If Ward doesn't get his fix, he could go into a fit of rage, terrorizing the streets of Dallas and failing to even make it to Sunday.

3: Ben Roethlisberger

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PITTSBURGH - APRIL 19: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers practices on April 19, 2010 at the Pittsburgh Steelers South Side training facility in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

Ben Roethlisberger should probably stay out of the bar scene for a while. True, untrue, it doesn't really matter. The accusations have sort of piled up on Roethlisberger. For whatever reason, college girls who love to piece together eerily consistent rape accounts tend to frequent the same bars as Roethlisberger.

It appears Big Ben has changed his ways. It has been months since anyone under the age of 25 has accused him of rape. Progress deserves some sort of recognition.

2: Matt Flynn

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CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 23: (L-R) Quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 and Matt Flynn #10 of the Green Bay Packers celebrate the Packers 21-14 victory against the Chicago Bears with the George Halas Trophy after the NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field on Janua

Matt Flynn is Aaron Rodgers' backup. He, like Rodney Dangerfield, gets no respect. He nearly took the bruised and beaten Packers to victory over the New England Patriots during the regular season. Even so, Rodgers gets all of the hype, attention, and glory.

Flynn is unlikely to see a single snap in this Super Bowl. He is a capable quarterback and will find himself in a starting job somewhere at some point, but may never get a chance to play in a Super Bowl ever again. In a move that could be the most wicked since the Tonya Harding scandal, Matt Flynn just might take it upon himself to ensure he gets his chance to be the shining star in Green Bay, for once.

1: Johnny Jolly

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GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 03: Johnny Jolly #97 of the Green Bay Packers looks on from the bench against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium on January 3, 2010 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Maxx Wolfson/Getty Images)

Johnny Jolly is currently serving a suspension for possessing 200 grams of codeine. If convicted, Jolly faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Jolly might not be playing in this game, but he could have an impact.

Jolly has kept his nose clean, but still wants to be of service to his team in some capacity. The special teams unit strikes me as a potential pursuant of Jolly's services. Struggling with boredom and teammate neglect, Mason Crosby just might make the call.