11 NFL Legacies Ruined by off-the-Field Transgressions

Media in general love to ride the backs of sports figures and entertainment personalities. We tend to lift them up before finding a way to tear them down. This isn't the case for the majority of journalists or media outlets, but for some reason it works to raise the ratings and create a story out of a non-story. 

Still, athletes are far from perfect and in certain circumstances commit egregious fallacies off the filed. I am talking about anything ranging from a drunken tirade, yes Pat McAfee I am talking to you, or some horrible murder. The levels of these transgressions range from the silliest of all crimes, to the most serious of crimes ever perpetrated on a human being. 

Today, I am going to focus on 11 NFL figures that have seen their images ruined by off-field issues and criminal mischief. Keep in mind that I am going to avoid commentary on the issues, instead I will be providing you with background on what actually happened. 

11. Joe Namath

Hey Grandpa, put down that egg nog, its getting late.

A 60-year-old Joe Namath was being interviewed by ESPN sideline reporter, Suzy Kolber, during a 2003 game between the New York Jets and New England Patriots. From the onset it was obvious that Namath was intoxicated off of a certain beverage, still not sure which one.

He couldn't stand up straight, instead relying on a swaying motion in order to keep balance. The larger and much funnier situation came about one minute into the interview, where Namath told Kolber that he wanted to kiss her, while nearly falling into and knocking her over.

A younger generation of football fans, such as myself, might not remember Namath for his Super Bowl III heroics or the fact that he represented the first true modern athlete.

However, many of us will remember this interview, and for that, his legacy is tarnished, no matter how funny the situation was.

10. Marvin Harrison

Marvin Harrison had always been considered a quiet, genial individual with a good man posterior. He worked extremely well with Peyton Manning for so many tremendous seasons and didn't complain or gripe about a single thing during his tenure. 

This is why the following incident has to be considered a major surprise. 

In 2009, Marvin Harrison was involved in two separate altercations with a known drug dealer in Philadelphia because the former Indianapolis Colts receiver wouldn't allow him into the sports bar that he owned.

Later that day, Dwight Dixon was shot multiple times by a gun owned by Marvin Harrison. A lack of evidence disabled the ability of the DA to press charges. Less than four months later, Dixon was shot and killed blocks away from a car was that owned by Harrison. 

Since, the DA has re-opened the case, but no charges have been fired. Still, the following report from GQ shed some light in regards to the situation that Harrison found himself in. 

"

In one sense, the presence of a future Hall of Famer at this seedy vortex of the city, Harrison, eight-time Pro Bowl wide receiver with the Indianapolis Colts, then at the tail end of a 13-season career and a $67 million contract -- was incongruous. Especially given that Harrison, who is usually described as "quiet" and "humble," was noisily stomping the fat man in the face and gut.

Nixon says, Harrison unloaded both guns into the fat man's car, stippling the red Toyota Tundra with bullet holes as the fat man ducked in his seat. Eventually, the fat man sat up and sped off, heading straight toward Nixon's position as Harrison darted into the street and continued to shoot.

"

9. Leonard Little

In 1998, while driving drunk, Little crashed his car into Susan Gutweiler, killing her immediately. He was sentenced to four years probation and 1,000 hours community service.

Six years later, Little was arrested on suspicion of driving drunk after he failed multiple sobriety tests. He later admitted to drinking and was sentenced to two years probation.

If he were a "common" man, Leonard Little would still be in jail following the second DUI because enhancements in regards to the manslaughter charge earlier.

This just goes to show you what substance abuse can do to an individual, his family and a wide array of innocent people in its path.

8. Adam "Pacman" Jones

Pacman Jones was the sixth pick of the 2005 draft by the Tennessee Titans after a star-studded career at West Virginia. Maybe playing in the boonies caused Jones to act out, but his seven-year career in the NFL has been filled with a host off different off-field issues and arrests. I could spend this entire article writing about his transgressions, but let me give you a bullet point overview. 

Just a couple years in the league, Jones was arrested in Las Vegas for assault on an exotic dancer after an altercation between the two. According to reports Jones, along with others decided to throw  myriad of $100 dollar bills onto the stage, after the club owner told the dancers to collect the money, Jones became enraged and pulled her by her hair slamming her face down on the ground. After a guard stepped in Jones apparently threatened his life. Jones was later charged with two felonies, but entered a plea deal and avoided jail time. 

In 2007, Jones was questioned about a shooting that took place by member of his entourage. No charges were filed. 

In 2008, an arrest warrant was issued for Jones after he was accused of hitting another stripper, this time in Atlanta, Georgia. The charges were later dropped due to lack of solid evidence. 

There are a myriad of different incidents, too much to mention on this list. However, one thing is for sure. Adam Jones never lived up to his talent and first round status. Instead, off-field issues caused him to be traded by the Tennessee Titans and later released by the Dallas Cowboys. Currently, Jones is playing for the Cincinnati Bengals. 

Over the course of his short career, Jones has been suspended three separate times. 

7. Paul Hornung

Paul Hornung was the first overall pick of the Green Bay Packers in the 1957 draft after tremendous success with the Notre Dame Fightin' Irish. He was set to join Vince Lombardi and the great Packers franchise. 

During his first six years with the Packers, Hornung made two Pro Bowl appearances and led the team to two NFL Championships. Following the 1961 regular season he received a reprieve from President John F. Kennedy from serving in the Army because Kennedy was friends with Lombardi. 

In 1963, Hornung was suspended for taking part in illegal gambling of football games and associating with the mob. The suspension lasted a year. 

His image might not have been eternally damaged due to the incident, but it is a major reason why gambling is outlawed in the sports world. The fact that Hornung bet on the NFL also led many people to question whether or not he ever placed a bet for or against the Green Bay Packers. 

He has to be on this list because of the external circumstances surrounding the situation and the fact that Hornung's name cannot be mentioned without this scandal coming up. For many he is associated with gambling as much as winning championships and be elected to the Hall of Fame. 

6. Ray Lewis

Ray Lewis is one of the greatest defensive players to ever put on a uniform. In 16 NFL seasons he has recorded over 1,500 tackles, over 40 sacks and forced 50 turnovers. Simply put, Lewis has been one of the most intimidating players of this era and is a sure fire first ballot Hall-of-Fame inductee. 

Still, there will always be a black cloud surrounding Lewis and his on-field excellence. Whether it is fair or not, he will always have a stigma as a thug and criminal. This is what the media always attempts to do: pull up a super star before attempting everything in their power to tear them down. It makes for a good news story. 

However, following Super Bowl XXXIV a fight between Ray Lewis and other individuals at a club broke out. Two people were stabbed to death in the altercation. There are numerous different stories of the altercation, but I will go with the most widespread version. 

Two of Lewis' friends were charged with murder and later acquitted by a jury. Lewis was never charged for the crime mainly due to the fact that investigators could not locate the white suit that Lewis was wearing at the time of the altercation. Lewis later admitted that he lied to the police following the murders and was convicted of obstruction of justice. He was sentenced to 12 months probation and fined a whopping $250,000 by the NFL, but was never suspended. 

I doubt we will ever get the true version of the story, but Lewis' image will always be tarnished by his actions on the January night. Whether or not you think he was involved in the murders isn't the point. The overriding issue is that he acted like a guilty man by lying to the police. Somehow it is hard to believe that he didn't have knowledge of the situation that occurred that night. 

5. Rae Carruth

This is an incredibly sad story on more than one front. Rae Carruth had tremendous upside after being a first-round pick of the Carolina Panthers in the 1997 draft. In his rookie season, the former Colorado star had over 500 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

While injuries derailed his next two seasons the legacy of this one time up-and-coming star would be damaged forever. Moreover, the lives of three people would forever be affected. 

In 1999, Cherica Adams, then Carruth's girlfriend and the women holding his baby was shot four times outside of his North Carolina home. Following the shooting, she called 911 and indicated that the Panthers wide receiver was responsible for the shooting. Carruth later turned himself into the police but went on the lam after posting $3 million bail.

Adams died a couple months following the shooting, but her child survived. After being on the lam for a few weeks, Carruth was found hiding in a car trunk and was charged with conspiracy to commit murder and first degree murder. He was convicted on the conspiracy charges, but avoided the death penalty. 

Currently, Carruth is serving a 19-year sentence and is slated to be released in 2018. 

In case you want to research more about this topic, I suggest you read the following article. It talks in depth about the life of his son, Chancellor Adams, who was born with cerebral palsy due to the murder of his mother at the hands at Rae Carruth. It is a truly inspirational story and shows how disgusting of a crime this was. 

4. Michael Irvin

Michael Irvin won three Super Bowls during his career with the Dallas Cowboys. Additionally, he caught 750 passes and made the Pro Bowl five times in a 12 year career. Irvin was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007. 

Still, many people associate Michael Irvin more with off-field issues and a drug habit than being being a standout receiver in the NFL. And, there are multiple reasons for this. 

In 1996, Irvin was arrested on possession of cocaine at a party celebrating his 30th birthday. Irvin filed a no contest plea and was sentenced to four years probation. The NFL did suspend him for the first four games that season. 

A weird situation occurred during the Dallas Cowboys training camp in 1998. Irving apparently cut a teammate's neck during a hair cutting session.

It has been extremely difficult to get information in regards to the incident because the teammate agreed not to press charges and signed a confidentiality agreement after Irvin paid him a few hundred thousands of dollars. 

Since his retirement, Irvin has been arrested on drug possession charges, was the alleged perpetrator of sexual assault and has made off-color remarks in regards to race, which led to him being fired by ESPN. 

Always a controversial figure, Michael Irvin is better known for his off-field antics than the great NFL wide receiver that he was. 

3. Lawrene Taylor

Lawrence Taylor was one of the greatest defensive players ever to suit up. He earned ten Pro Bowl trips and eight All-Pro honors in a 13-year NFL career

During that time, Taylor was using heavy duty illegal substances such as cocaine and crack cocaine. He had been arrested twice during his NFL career and a couple times following it.

One thing about Lawrence Taylor is that he doesn't shy away from his substance abuse issues. In multiple autobiographies, Taylor has admitted to living in a residence that closely resembled a "crack house," as he put it.

The former New York Giants linebacker has been arrested three times since his retirement in the early 1990's on drug-related charges.

Additionally, Taylor was charged with having sex with a 16-year-old prostitute in New York last year. He plead guilty to the lesser charge and avoided jail time. Still, Taylor has to register as a sex offender because 16-year-olds are unable to consent to sex.

It is just another sad chapter in the life and times of Lawrence Taylor.

2. Michael Vick

Michael Vick is an enigmatic figure not only in the world of sports, but around the United States in general. He was one of the most popular athletes during the first six years of his career. During that span, Vick had over 15,000 total yards and combined for nearly 100 total touchdowns. He was the $100 million man and had the world at his fingertips. 

By now we all already know this story. Vick was the head of a dog fighting ring in Virginia. Police searched the compound of his cousin and came away with some terrifying evidence. The results were stunning.

Michael Vick had provided the ring with the financial means to continue the dog fighting business and expand it beyond state lines.

This was no longer a state issue, Vick would find himself charged with the federal crime of racketeering, promoting illegal activities across state lines, animal abuse (including torture and execution) as well as financing illegal gambling. 

To many, Vick's charges looked a lot like him being made an example of. To others, it was about time that the United States took the abuse of animals seriously.

I am not going to get into a debate on the merits of each argument. Instead, I am going to provide you a synopsis of the situation as it related to Vick's post-plea life. 

He plead guilty to a myriad of different charges and was sentenced to three years in prison, but spent less than two years behind bars. Upon Vick's return to the NFL, he joined the Philadelphia Eagles and has worked tirelessly with animal rights groups to become an advocate against animal abuse. 

It remains to be seen how Vick's legacy will play out, however, I have a hard time believing that he will be able to shed the label as a dog killer.

No matter your opinion of the situation, Michael Vick did his time and deserves a second chance. I am just not sure that the court of public opinion will ever give him a fair shake again. 

1. O.J. Simpson

We started this article with a video, so why not end with one? However, Joe Namath's drunken performance on Monday Night Football pales in comparison to what happened in the summer of 1994. 

O.J. Simpson, arguably one of the great running backs to ever play the game, had a history of legal troubles prior to the 1994 murder of his ex-wife and her lover. But, this situation captivated Americans and began an entirely new cycle in the 24-hour news programming that we see today. 

Simpson had been accused of battery and other domestic violence charges against his wife Nicole. So, it didn't come as a huge surprise to many within their inner circle that she was murdered a few years following the divorce. 

We all know the details of the situation that occurred that summer. The embedded video shows Simpson leading the police on a "high speed" chase through downtown Los Angeles after he was wanted for questioning in regards to the murder.

Following a dramatic and drawn-out murder trial, Simpson was acquitted of the charges. Still, many American's believe that he was guilty of brutally killing his ex-wife, Nicole, and her love, Ronald Goldman.

The verdict itself was viewed by over half of the American population, making it the most watched event in the history of the United States. 

Simpson is currently serving a prison sentence in Las Vegas that is capped out at 33 years. The charges include kidnapping and false imprisonment of a collector, who O.J. believed had illegally attained his merchandise. 

O.J. Simpson will never be remembered for being the NFL's first 2,000-yard rusher, or for being one of the greatest running backs of all time. Instead, he will be remembered for being someone that quite literally got away with murder.