What's With NFL QB's and Legal Troubles?

by Bruce Raffel on May 22, 2009 11:18 AM EDT Comment 9 comments

We all are well too aware of the troubles that former Atlanta Falcons QB and now semi-free man and construction laborer Michael Vick has been through. Now we are getting word that former #2 pick in the 1998 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers, Ryan Leaf, is in some real hot water.

According to Canyon, Texas police, Leaf was arrested on suspicion of breaking and entering a home there to steal prescription painkillers. He also had tried to obtain them last year through a variety of physicians with incomplete medical evaluations.

Quite a long way from the PAC-10 Champion Washington State Cougars and the Rose Bowl, much less the number two overall pick in the draft and a chance at an NFL career with San Diego. Think the Indianapolis Colts made the right choice by selecting Tennessee's Peyton Manning with the first overall pick that year?

In the past there was former USC Trojan and Los Angeles Raider QB Todd Marinovich, who was drafted by the Raiders after his redshirt sophomore year in the first round (24th overall) of the 1991 NFL Draft, as the second QB taken in the draft and ahead of even some kid named Brett Favre. He took over as the starter in late 1991 and ended up playing his way out of the game in late 1992. He went through a ton of personal and legal problems, many focused on drugs or drug-related behaviors and was labeled by ESPN as the 4th biggest bust of their 25 Biggest Sports Flops (Ryan Leaf was #1).

Every Baltimore Colts fan knows of the legal troubles of the former QB out of THE Ohio State University, Art Schlichter. Schlichter was drafted by the Colts in 1982 and blew his entire signing bonus on gambling losses. By 1987, with a career passing rating of 42.6, he was arrested in a major gambling sting operation and was essentially banished from the league by then NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle.

Former Dallas Cowboys QB Quincy Carter was recently arrested on May 9th for a violation of his probation, as a result of drunken driving.

While there probably have been an equal or even larger number of issues with players in other position in the NFL, much less other major sports, the NFL QB stands alone in the limelight over any other player in any other sport. Therefore, when they do wander astray, they get the focus and attention of the media. Perhaps it's the new found fame, the big dollar contracts and the belief that they are untouchable and therefore comes the inability to handle that fame and fortune. Either way, these are all sad stories as most people would give their right arms to be in that position (maybe 'giving their right arm' is not the best analogy).

Hopefully, whether it ends up that Michael Vick is permitted to return to the NFL or the current crop of QB's are able to stay out of trouble, we just know a headline is looming in the not so distant future of who the next high profile NFL QB will be to cross that legal line of scrimmage.

Any guesses?

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Comments

not sure that its QB-specific...

…but we do certainly see some bad habits emerge from these guys when they touch those first few million…

The whole Ryan Leaf thing is pretty sad. The guy may have never panned out as the star he was supposed to be, but he could have had a reasonable career as a backup with those physical tools. I happen to know some people who got into real trouble with Oxy Contin, and being from Baltimore, we all know what drug that can lead to. I’ll give you a hint: it’s the only reason besides a “Wire tour” that a white-collar worker would be seen driving on Calhoun Street.

Anyway, while I believe in second chances, I don’t believe in third chances. Once you blow the second chance, you’ve manipulated the supporters who let you try again. Leaf did that. That would be my advice to Michael Vick: you can get back into this. You can have a good life again. You can get rich again. But you cannot screw up, on anything, ever, again.

When people reach points like these in their lives, they need to make some very difficult changes. When they fail to do so, they leave it to the rest of us to make the decision as to whether or not we get suckered for a third time, or we’re strong enough to cut them loose and let them go.

Goodbye, Ryan Leaf.

by jackmca on May 22, 2009 1:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

My screwer-upper prediction is...

…Brett Favre. Yeah. He has a history of drinking and painkillers and will play between zero and one more season in the NFL. When he leaves the game and loses his coping mechanism in life (which seems to be the game of Football itself), self-destructive patterns can re-emerge. Add to that the simple fact that as Favre ages into his 40s, long term wear-and-tear of the NFL will start to take its most painful toll on his body as he loses his fitness and begins to develop arthritis (which he will, as sure as the sun rises in the east).

Obviously I have no empirical evidence to suggest this, its just a guess. Favre is a narcissistic man who derives his sense of self-worth from his alpha-male status on the gridiron. Once he no longer commands that same respect and recognition, he will need to find a new source for it. Perhaps he will accomplish that by becoming a coach and staying near the field. Perhaps he will accomplish that by becoming a commentator and keeping his face on TV on Sundays. Unfortunately, another way for people to feel that same support and recognition is through substance abuse. So, with all due respect to Favre, I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets into a little post-career trouble like a DUI or a drug arrest.

by jackmca on May 22, 2009 1:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but...Favre had a great career

and will never be a bust no matter how hard he falls now. I also heard he was taking up to 12 oxy’s a day! If you’ve ever taken one, you will be impressed to hear 12!?

Bruce Raffel

by Bruce Raffel on May 22, 2009 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

obviously Favre is a HOFer...

I’m just saying, dude could slide back.

And taking 12 must mean he had small doses. Oxy Contin comes in everything from 5mg (for when you get your wisdom teeth pulled) to 80 mg (for when you have back surgery and every waking second is more painful than torture). If someone took 12 of 80mg, it would be sure-fire suicide.

by jackmca on May 23, 2009 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cheap Shot:

Was that a story about Ryan leaf or Keith Mills?

Sorry, could not resist… :) We still like ya Millsie-!

by vlad755 on May 22, 2009 1:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Keith Mills

I liked that one. He has such a bad Baltimore accent.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on May 22, 2009 2:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

and is right back on the air now!

Bruce Raffel

by Bruce Raffel on May 22, 2009 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ryan Leaf is amazing. He should be in the NFL HOF

by BradyQuinnisBeast on May 22, 2009 9:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Leaf almost got away from the cops but he stopped to freak out on a bystander who asked him a hurtful question.

Vick is a senseless criminal who gets his rocks off forcing household pets to rip each others throats out. If he ever plays in Baltimore my tickets for that game get burned. No selling them-just torched. I hope he never plays again.

by raven on May 24, 2009 1:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs