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NFL players are some of the most disciplined athletes on the planet. The focus needed to adequtely train for football, while studying modern playbooks, means that there is little time to do anything else.
Unfortunately, with all the fame and money that comes with being an NFL athlete, there’s also the opportunity for people to find themselves in difficult situations.
Getting attention, stardom, and big contracts at such a young age can lead players to a life outside of football that is marred with problems and even crimes. The lifestyle of an athlete is no excuse for committing a crime, and football players have found themselves in serious trouble over the years.
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Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez and Carolina Panthers Rae Curruth have been in the public spotlight the past several years for crimes they committed while playing in the NFL.
However, those two aren't the only ones to have fallen foul of the law. Let's take a look at five ex-NFL players who are currently behind bars.
Kellen Winslow II
Things should have been different for Kellen Winslow II. The former first-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns was a standout player at the University of Miami and should have been one of the premier pass-catching threats at his position.
In February 2021, Winslow was sentenced to 14 years in prison for a host of crimes against women, including sexual assault and rape.
Dave Meggett
Dave Meggett was a former running back for the New York Giants whose suppleness and skill out of the backfield helped the Giants to a Superbowl victory in 1991. Meggett played for 10 years, but became known for heinous crimes after he was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2009 for sexual assault and burglary.
Robert Rozier
One of the craziest stories in the history of the NFL belongs to Rozier, a former defensive end with the Arizona (then St. Louis) Cardinals and Oakland Raiders.
Rozier only played six games in the NFL before he quit to join the Nation of Yahweh, now seen as an extremist cult. Rozier confessed to killing six men as part of an initiation process into the group and is currently serving 25 years in prison.
Keith Wright
The former NFL defensive tackle played for a number of teams over the course of his career, including the Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Detroit Lions, but was never able to play an NFL game.
In 2012, Wright was found guilty of a host of crimes, including armed robbery, kidnapping, and false imprisonment, and was sentenced to 234 years in prison (that's not a typo).
Anthony Smith
The former Los Angeles and Oakland Raiders defensive tackle played six seasons in the league. He was drafted 11th overall by the Raiders in 1990 and was expected to anchor their pass rush for the decade.
However, in 1997, Smith abrubtly opted out of his contract and retired from football. In January 2016, Smith was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole for the kidnapping, torture, and murder of three men.
