These NFL controversies cast a dark cloud over a beautiful game. Welcome to WatchMojo and for this list, we’ll be looking at the biggest controversies to take place in the National Football League.
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00:00 I've been ready for three years.
00:02 I've been denied for three years.
00:04 We all know why I came out here and showed it today in front of everybody.
00:07 Welcome to WatchMojo!
00:09 And for this list, we'll be looking at the biggest controversies to take place in the
00:13 National Football League.
00:15 I've had a million people tell me we've ruined the big hits for them.
00:18 And a lot of people tell me that we've ruined Sundays for them.
00:22 Number 10.
00:23 Ray Lewis One of the most impactful players and icons
00:27 in NFL history.
00:28 There is no doubt Ray Lewis has left a legacy that few have or will ever match.
00:34 However, that legacy will forever be tainted.
00:37 In 2000, while in Atlanta, Lewis and two companions got into an altercation with two men.
00:43 After the fight, Lewis and his entourage piled into his limo and sped off.
00:48 The men were later found dead.
00:50 Although the trial was held, Lewis pled guilty solely for the crime of obstructing justice.
00:55 However, questions still remain.
00:58 What was Lewis' exact involvement in the incident?
01:02 And what happened to the suit he wore the night the massacre took place, which reportedly
01:06 was covered in blood but was never found?
01:30 No one knows.
01:31 But if one thing's for certain, it's that it's a dark mystery that will follow Lewis
01:36 for as long as he lives.
01:49 Number 9.
01:50 The Former Washington Football Team Name Among the several controversies that have
01:56 plagued this team, but mostly the team's previous owner Dan Snyder, none has cast more
02:01 spotlight than the one revolving around their former team name.
02:14 For many years, many had called for the team to change the name, believing it was disparaging
02:19 towards Native Americans.
02:21 However, Snyder and the rest of the organization remained steadfast and would not budge.
02:31 That is, until the Black Lives Matter movements.
02:37 Amidst the cultural reawakening and rise in social awareness, this sparked further demand
02:42 for the team to change their name.
02:44 That, along with pressures from team sponsors, resulted in the organization eventually folding.
02:51 They subsequently operated under an interim name, Washington Football Team, before eventually
03:07 changing their name to The Commanders in 2022.
03:16 Number 8.
03:17 Michael Vick Throughout the early 2000s, Michael Vick
03:21 revolutionized the quarterback position in football, set various records, and was generally
03:26 considered one of the best players of the modern era.
03:43 But it all came crashing down in 2007, when authorities found evidence that Vick, alongside
03:48 other associates, ran a dogfighting operation going all the way back in 2001.
04:07 Vick was subsequently suspended indefinitely by the NFL and spent nearly two years in jail.
04:19 Although he did manage a comeback and played for the Philadelphia Eagles upon his release
04:23 from prison, his reputation or career never completely recovered from the horrific scandal.
04:29 Number 7.
04:31 Deflategate During the AFC Championship game between the
04:34 New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts in 2015, officials found the balls used
04:40 by the former were underinflated by the league's standards.
04:55 This was reportedly done on the orders of legendary quarterback Tom Brady, who reportedly
05:00 likened footballs to be smaller so that he has a better grip when throwing them.
05:04 He denied having any involvement in the matter.
05:23 After months of investigations, the NFL fined the New England Patriots a sum of $1 million
05:29 and docked them draft picks.
05:31 Meanwhile, they suspended Tom Brady for four games during the 2016 regular season.
05:42 Number 6.
05:44 Spygate Back in 2007, the New England Patriots illegally
05:51 videotaped opposing teams' coaching signals from an unauthorized location during a week
05:56 one showdown against the New York Jets.
05:59 After halftime, a Patriots video assistant was caught filming hand signals from New York's
06:03 defensive assistants on video.
06:13 After an investigation, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell went on to fine Patriots head coach
06:17 Bill Belichick $500,000 and the team $250,000.
06:24 The Patriots also had to forfeit their first-round pick in the 2008 draft.
06:32 The Patriots wound up being embroiled in a similar incident in 2019 when their production
06:38 crew were caught filming the Cincinnati Bengals' sideline.
06:52 Number 5.
06:53 Bounty Gate Lead by head coach Sean Payton and quarterback
07:03 Drew Brees, the New Orleans Saints were a dominant force in the NFL during a better
07:08 part of the 2000s.
07:09 However, the team would become infamous after the Bounty Gate scandal.
07:14 In 2012, an investigation by the NFL concluded that then-Saints defensive coordinator Greg
07:19 Williams ran a secret program which rewarded players with cash bonuses for injuring opposing
07:25 players.
07:33 Several members of the Saints organization were aware of what was taking place, but did
07:38 not intervene.
07:40 As a result, the organization was fined, forfeited draft picks, and several players and coaches,
07:46 including Payton, were suspended.
08:00 Number 4.
08:02 Colin Kaepernick Leading up to and during the 2016 NFL regular
08:07 season, then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick chose to protest the treatment
08:12 of African-Americans in the United States.
08:15 This brutality, as well as the country's current social and political climate.
08:32 The quarterback proceeded to kneel during the singing of the national anthem prior to
08:35 games.
08:36 Kaepernick's actions sparked outrage and many divided opinions.
08:45 The controversy snowballed after the regular season when Kaepernick became a free agent.
08:50 Since then, and as of the time of writing, Kaepernick has yet to be signed by an NFL
08:56 team.
08:57 Despite holding several workouts and even filing a lawsuit against the NFL, which went
09:01 on to be settled, Kaepernick still hopes to play for an NFL team.
09:15 Number 3.
09:16 Aaron Hernandez Despite his talent on the field, off the field,
09:28 Hernandez tied ends troubles with a law cast a dark shadow over his career.
09:33 It reached a boiling point in 2013 when Hernandez was taken into custody for ending Oden Lloyd's
09:39 life.
09:51 The New England Patriots subsequently cut ties with him and in 2015, he was sentenced
09:56 to life in prison without parole.
09:59 Hernandez later stood trial in 2017 for the deaths of Daniel DeAbreu and Safiro Furtado,
10:05 though he was innocent.
10:06 However, he passed away in jail just a few days later, having taken his own life.
10:19 Number 2.
10:20 Ray Rice At one point, this running back was arguably
10:35 one of the NFL's biggest and brightest stars.
10:38 However, just over a year after winning the Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens, his
10:42 career would go downhill.
10:45 During the 2014 offseason, a disturbing video surfaced online which saw Rice physically
10:50 attack his then-fiancé/now-wife, Janae Palmer.
10:55 Rice was subsequently released from the Ravens.
11:08 Controversy surrounding the matter only intensified after it was reported that the NFL had prior
11:13 knowledge of the footage before it was released and did not take immediate action.
11:28 The incident served as just another chapter in the NFL's long history of dealing with
11:32 athletes embroiled in physical violence.
11:59 Number 1.
12:00 CTE The NFL has a documented history with their
12:04 players suffering injuries that have a lasting impact on their health, most notably those
12:10 involving the brain.
12:27 Over the years, the NFL has been accused on several occasions of attempting to cover up
12:31 the matter, with many believing that they are not doing enough to prevent such injuries.
12:52 Although the NFL has reiterated its commitment to player health and safety, it remains to
12:57 be seen what will be done given its track record and number of players who have suffered
13:02 as a result.
13:16 Which controversy do you believe casts the darkest shadow on the NFL?
13:21 Let us know in the comments.
13:39 (upbeat music)