In the history of the NFL, there have been players with great potential, and everything going for them, and yet they’ve still thrown it all away. In the process, we remember them, not for their play on the field, but for their actions off it. Despite everything they did, it’s that one single act that we’ll remember them by. So, in the history of the NFL, who are the top 5 criminals and felons?
Why Did Tommy Kane Murder his Wife?
Tommy Kane was a 3rd round draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 1988. The former Syracuse Orangemen was born in Montreal, Canada and played four years in the NFL amassing 142 receptions for 2,034 yards and 9 touchdowns. A knee injury cut his NFL career short, and he went north to play for the CFL in 1994. However, it all ended in November 2004, when Kane was sentenced to 18 years in prison for the stabbing death of his wife Tammara Shaikh. Kane was allowed to plead to a lesser charge of manslaughter as he was found to be suffering from severe depression and suicidal tendencies at the time of the murder.
Did Rae Carruth Try and Kill his Wife and Unborn Child?
A former product of Colorado University, and a first round draft pick of the Carolina Panthers in 1997, Rae Carruth was found guilty in 2001 of conspiring to commit murder against his then girlfriend Cherica Adams. He was subsequently sentenced to a prison term of 18 to 24 years. According to documented reports, Carruth drove his car and stopped it in front of his girlfriend’s car, as another car drove up and committed the crime. While Adams passed away later from her injuries, the 8 month unborn baby survived an still lives today.
Why Did Lawrence Phillips Go to Jail?
A running back that Dick Vermeil once called the greatest he ever coached, Lawrence Phillips had a destiny with prison. The former 1996 first round draft pick of the St. Louis Rams, Phillips was once arrested for assaulting his girlfriend while playing for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. In 1997, after being released by the Rams, Phillips would plead no contest to assaulting a women in a night club in Miami. However, none of this compared to Philips being convicted on December 18th 2009 to 31 years in prison for driving his car into three teenagers after a pick up game of football, and for assaulting another one of his girlfriends.
What Was Wrong with Oakland Center Barret Robbins?
Oakland Raiders center Barret Robbins was a Pro-Bowl center and a nine year NFL veteran with a history of bipolar disorder and depression. The product of Texas Christian University, Robbins had become one of the NFL’s premier centers. However, Robbins disappeared a week before the Raiders 2002 Super Bowl, didn’t play in the game, and was hospitalized for his condition. His NFL career ended on January 15th 2005 as he was shot three times by police outside of a bar in Miami. Robbins survived the shooting, but was put on a five year probation to control his bipolar condition. He never played again in the NFL.
Did OJ Simpson Kill His Wife?
The former football star, TV and movie actor, and sports commentator, was found not guilty of the murder of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman on October 3rd 1995, in what would become known as the trial of the century. The verdict was live on TV and quickly became one of the most watched television events in history. While Simpson was found guilty in civil court in 1997, he was viewed as having gotten away with murder. However, everything finally caught up with him on December 5th 2008 when he was sentenced to a 33 year prison term for a kidnapping and robbery incident at the Palace Station Casino in Las Vegas in September 2007.
It’s amazing to think that people with so much to lose, would risk it all. However, it’s often a question of them feeling infallible and believing their own hype. The adoration of fans and the media, can at times make someone feel untouchable. They simply don’t feel like they’ll ever have to pay a price for their actions. In these cases, these NFL players paid a very heavy price.
Ian Johnson - I currently run a business blog called www.driveyoursuccess.com. I have over 15 years consulting experience in production cell management, ...
