Tackling the NFL's craziest controversies

The murder-suicide of Jovan Belcher - Belcher made headlines on December 1, 2012 when he killed his girlfriend Kasandra Perkins. He went on to commit suicide that same day. His body was exhumed, and his family found out that he was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which stems from head injuries.

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Ray Rice assault - Rice rose to fame with the Baltimore Ravens. But he was suspended in 2014, after he allegedly assaulted his then-fiancée, now-wife Janay Palmer.

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Charges of child abuse - Adrian Peterson was a hot player for the Minnesota Vikings. However, he was temporarily dropped from the NFL after charges of child abuse against his 4-year-old son surfaced.

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Deflategate - Tom Brady is a huge star in the NFL, but found himself in hot water in 2015. He's alleged to have ordered that footballs be deflated in a playoff game between the Indianapolis Colts and his New England Patriots.

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Bully victim - Jonathan Martin ditched the Miami Dolphins halfway through the 2013 season. He was apparently bullied by teammates, including Richie Incognito, who was suspended and dropped from the team.

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Problematic team name - Here's one controversy that won't go away. The Washington Redskins have one problematic name, which has led to many protests. Over 20 Native American tribes and 50 Native American groups have demanded a name change for the team.

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The party fortress - It's said that during the '90s several Dallas Cowboys players rented a house for some serious partying. Legendary player Michael Irvin ended up being hit with a drug charge, and was suspended for five games.

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Dave Duerson's suicide - Dave Duerson had asked his family to research the effects of head trauma. That was before he shot and killed himself in 2011. It was later found that Duerson had indeed suffered from CTE.

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Barret Robbins goes AWOL - The day before the 2003 Super Bowl, Oakland Raiders player Barret Robbins went AWOL. He was apparently partying in Mexico, and was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

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Ray Lewis brawls hard - Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens got into a bloody fight after the Super Bowl in 2000. Two people were stabbed to death at the fight, and Lewis was sued US$250,000 by the NFL.

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Nightclub shooting -

Plaxico Burress accidentally shot himself at a New York City nightclub in 2008. The event infamously became fodder for late-night talk shows.

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Banned for life - The night before the Super Bowl in 1989, Stanley Wilson had a drug relapse. He was left off the Cincinnati Bengals squad, and the NFL banned him for life.

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Car crash - Josh Brent made headlines in December 2012 when he crashed his car, killing teammate Jerry Brown in the process. Brent got 180 days in jail, but was allowed to rejoin the Dallas Cowboys.

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Betting scandal - An early controversy, Alex Karras (left) and Paul Hornung (right) were involved in a betting scandal during the '60s. However, both players were allowed to play again.

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Adam Jones involved in strip club shooting - Adam Jones had a hell of a reputation in the NFL. At one point, he was even involved in a strip club shooting, which led to a 2007 suspension.

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Baltimore to Indianapolis - Without warning, team owner Robert Irsay moved the (then) Baltimore Colts to Indianapolis. It was a huge upset for local fans, but since then the Indianapolis Colts and the Baltimore Ravens have both won Super Bowls.

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Bountygate - Between 2009 and 2011, the New Orleans Saints were allegedly involved in an illegal bounty system in which they paid out bonuses for injuring opponents. This was according to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who suspended Saints coach Sean Payton for a year.

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Namath shows sexist side - Football legend Joe Namath got it all wrong when interviewed by reporter Suzy Kolber. Namath was asked, naturally, about a game. His reply? "I wanna kiss you [...] I couldn't care less about the team struggling."

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The murder-suicide of Aaron Hernandez - Hernandez was a rising star with the New England Patriots, but his career ended in 2013, when he was arrested and convicted for the murder of Odin Lloyd. Hernandez took his own life in 2017 while in prison.

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Tackling the NFL's craziest controversies

The NFL has seen controversy beyond Colin Kaepernick

21/01/19 | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Sports

The National Football League is a staple in American sports. Not only does it introduce huge stars, but it culminates in the world-renowned Super Bowl, which will take place on February 3. However, in recent years the league has become quite controversial. Most notably, quarterback Colin Kaepernick famously knelt during the national anthem, sparking a huge debate about freedom of speech.

But the NFL has seen plenty of scandals over the years. Here's a rundown of the most controversial.