The most controversial NFL players of all time

The NFL has seen its fair share of controversial figures, both on and off the football field. We’ll take a look at the most provocative players in the league’s history. All statistics are sourced from Football Reference.

In 2013, Bleacher Report called Kaepernick the most dangerous dual-threat quarterback in the NFL, as he sliced defenses with his arm and his mobility. However, he’s most remembered for actions he took before the games started.

Kaepernick decided to kneel during the United States national anthem during a preseason game in 2016, and set off a media firestorm. The New York Times summarized Kaepernick’s protest against police brutality as fiercely debated throughout society. The quarterback would not play another game in the NFL after the 2016 campaign.

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Hardy was one of the best pass rushers in the NFL for a brief period. In 2012 and 2013, he notched 26 total sacks. The Dallas Observer called him big and rangy as an outside speed rusher. However, he got into some hot water off the field.

Hardy’s NFL career was never the same after he was found guilty of assaulting his girlfriend and threatening her in May 2014. Deadspin detailed some of the gruesome details. The Dallas Cowboys signed him in 2015, but the 12 games he played that season would be his final ones in the league.

The Falcoholic blog wrote that Vick’s electrifying athleticism changed the NFL forever. His burning speed at the quarterback position made it almost impossible for defenders to catch him. Unfortunately for him, he missed two NFL seasons due to a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy.

NBC reported that Vick operated an underground dog fighting ring in Virginia for six years, where canines were trained to fight to the death for entertainment purposes. Animal activist groups like PETA were angered by Vick’s actions, and put pressure on the league to sternly discipline the quarterback.

Rice was a tremendous addition to the Baltimore Ravens’ backfield. He rushed for at least 1,143 yards in every season from 2009 to 2012. The running back was an integral season why Baltimore won the Super Bowl in 2012. However, his life would change forever during the 2014 offseason.

Video was released in 2014 showing Rice attacking his girlfriend in a casino elevator, brutally knocking her out with a punch. The horrific tape also knocked Rice out of the NFL for good, as SB Nation noted back in 2015 that no one wanted to give him a second chance.

Lewis is as decorated a linebacker as there is in NFL history. The Pro Football Hall of Famer made 12 Pro Bowls, was a seven-time All Pro, and a Super Bowl MVP. There is a chance all of this might not have happened had a legal matter gone in a different direction.

Sporting News revisited Lewis being charged with felony murder and aggravated assault stemming from an incident in Atlanta in 2000. Two men were stabbed to death. The murder charges against Lewis were dropped, but he did plead guilty to obstruction of justice.

Brown’s bright smile and supreme route running ability made him one of the most popular NFL players in the 2010s. It seemed like he could get open regardless of how much defensive attention was paid to him.

In 2019, everything would dramatically change. USA Today chronicles Brown’s off-field trouble, including an alleged assault a couple of years prior. Brown would allegedly send threatening text messages to the women who took legal action against him. The wide receiver also infamously took his shirt off and left the field in a 2021 game for Tampa Bay, his final NFL contest.

Simpson was a phenomenal running back whose career spanned from 1969 to 1979. The Pro Football Hall of Famer rushed for 11,236 yards in his career. After his playing days ended, Simpson was a popular pick as a product pitchman, as Ad Age recalled in 2016.

Simpson found himself embroiled in one of the most covered trials in American history. He was accused of murdering his wife and his wife’s friend in the summer of 1994. As ABC News and countless others have reviewed, the former NFL player was deemed not guilty, much to the surprise of many. He would eventually serve jail time for armed robbery in 2008.

There are few players in NFL history who are an offense onto themselves, but Peterson carried the Minnesota Vikings for a decade. He compiled 11,747 rushing yards for the franchise during that time.

However, Peterson found himself in trouble with the law and the league in 2014. ABC News noted that he was charged with felony child abuse after he allegedly struck his four-year-old son with a switch. The running back ended up missing all but one game in 2014 due to discipline and punishment for this matter.

There’s an argument to be made that Burress’ game-winning touchdown catch in Super Bowl XLII is one of the most famous grabs in NFL history. Unfortunately for him, Burress will also be remembered for something else.

In November 2008, the New York Times reported that the New York Giants pass catcher shot himself in the thigh in a nightclub. Burress would serve two years in prison after he pled guilty to a firearms charge.

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Bleacher Report named Taylor its “most intimidating” player in NFL history. The New York Giants linebacker was a menace on the field, amassing 142 sacks during his Hall of Fame career.

Unfortunately, Taylor found himself in a lot of trouble after his NFL career was over. The Los Angeles Times reported in 1996 that the linebacker was arrested for trying to buy crack cocaine. In 1998, the New York Times reported that he was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia. In 2013, NBC News reported that he was arrested for rape, a charge he would plead guilty on.

A two-time Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Roethlisberger was best known for keeping plays alive with his strong stature and undeterrable toughness. He also led the league in passing yards in 2014 and 2018.

In 2008, the quarterback was accused of raping a young woman in his hotel room, according to Bleacher Report and other outlets. The legal case was eventually settled in 2012.

Burfict was a hard-hitting linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals and Oakland Raiders during his eight-year NFL career. However, he often crossed the line on the field.

The Guardian wrote in 2019 that Burfict’s tenure in the NFL was “a steady parade of grizzly hits and cowardly acts.” The New York Post chronicled his laundry list of infractions, including a memorable shot to Antonio Brown’s head in a 2016 playoff game.

Carruth doesn’t have the same name recognition for his NFL career as the rest of the players on this list. He only played three seasons in the NFL from 1997-1999, all with the Carolina Panthers. His best campaign came as a rookie, where he snagged 44 catches for 545 yards and four touchdowns.

The Charlotte Observer looked back at the despicable situation Carruth was involved in. He conspired to have his pregnant girlfriend murdered in 1999, and was sentenced to second degree murder. He was eventually released from prison in 2018.

The New England Patriots thought they had a cheat code in Hernandez. The athletic tight end formed a dynamic duo with Rob Gronkowski in the early 2010s. Bleacher Report wrote in 2012 that the two teammates were changing the game with their versatility at that position.

Sporting News reported that Hernandez was found guilty of first degree murder in 2015, and was sentenced to life in prison. The former NFL player died in prison in 2017, which was officially ruled a suicide.

Watson’s NFL talent on the field with the Houston Texans was hard to overlook, as he made the Pro Bowl in three out of his four seasons with the team. However, his career hasn’t been the same since sexual harassment allegations came to light in 2021 and 2022.

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The New York Times reported that the passer was accused of misconduct by 30 women during this period. According to the Lawsuit Information Center, Watson’s settlement of all suits cost him anywhere from $33-55 million. In 2022, the Cleveland Browns signed Watson to a fully guaranteed $230 million contract after acquiring him via trade.