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The NFL has mourned the victims of multiple recent mass shooting incidents that have taken place in the United States of America. However, with laws on gun ownership far different in America compared to other nations, players themselves commonly own firearms of their own.
While this isn’t inherently concerning in itself, as with any kind of weapons license, comes the responsibility of ensuring your gun is owned legally.
A number of NFL stars have fallen foul of such regulations, with arrests being handed out to players for illegally carrying a gun.
While the circumstances surrounding almost all of these instances have been different, it is nevertheless a bad look for the NFL who are trying to encourage gun safety in the aftermath of recent shootings.
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Here is a list of five NFL players who have faced arrests for illegally owning guns in the past.
#5 – Frank Clark
Frank Clark is what you would describe as a serial offender with regards to illegal gun ownership.
Having starred in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs, 2021 saw Clark’s personal life begin to descend into chaos as he was arrested for possession of an illegal firearm.
Clark was initially stopped for a minor traffic violation, but when police officers reached his car, they noticed a dufflebag with a semi-automatic gun inside.
More commonly known as an ‘Uzi’, the hand-held weapon was in plain sight in Clark’s vehicle, and the Super Bowl winner was arrested at the scene.
Though initially charged with having an illegal firearm, Clark was given a further charge of possession of an assault weapon in Los Angeles back in March of 2021.
Having plead not guilty to the charge, Clark was expected to go to trial for the issue in January 2022, but that hearing was delayed and the Kansas City Chiefs continue to keep the defender on their NFL roster.
#4 – Ed Oliver
2020 saw the talented Buffalo Bills defensive tackle pulled over for a sobriety test, and he was then found to be over the legal limit for alcohol when operating a vehicle.
Yet, things would get worse for Ed Oliver, who reportedly had an open can of beer between his legs, when it emerged that there was a gun found in his vehicle.
The rising NFL star was arrested on the scene for drunk driving and illegal possession of a gun.
The Buffalo Bills refused to comment on the incident at the time. However, by the time July 2020 arrived, all charges against Oliver were dropped, including those related to the illegal carrying of a firearm.
#3 – Quinnen Williams
Quinnen Williams was drafted by the New York Jets in the hope he would solve their defensive woes. Williams has been an incredible presence in the defensive end position since then, however he has endured some difficult moments off the field.
He was arrested for criminal possession of a weapon in March of 2020, when he was trying to board a flight from LaGuardia Airport. Police stated at the time that while Williams did have a permit for his handgun, the Jets edge-rusher didn’t have the correct paperwork for the gun in New York.
The permit didn’t cover multiple states and thus, Williams was in breach of the law and was arrested at the scene.
The matter would extend all the way to October of the same year, in which Williams avoided any further trouble by taking a plea deal which saw his weapon charges dropped.
Instead, Williams was charged with disorderly conduct, which is considered a violation and not a crime in New York.
Williams was told he had to gain a New York license for his weapon, but all criminal charges against him were dropped.
#2 – Marshon Lattimore
Marshon Lattimore showed a lot of promise as a cornerback for the New Orleans Saints in the NFL. Yet, he too was arrested for possession of a firearm that was deemed illegal.
However, Lattimore’s case was all the more problematic as he was found to be in possession of a weapon that had been stolen.
The incident occurred in Cleveland in 2021 when Lattimore was stopped after reports of a vehicle committing numerous traffic violations.
Upon a search of the car, officers found a loaded Glock 19 handgun, whereas Lattimore, who was a passenger in the vehicle, had a loaded handgun in his possession.
Lattimore plead guilty to the charge of carrying a concealed weapon, but managed to escape any jail time due to the fact that it was only a misdemeanour. Lattimore was then sentenced to one year of probation.
#1 – Nigel Bradham
Nigel Bradham was part of the Philadelphia Eagles team that shocked the NFL by winning the Super Bowl in 2018, defeating the heavily-favoured New England Patriots.
Bradham, representing the Denver Broncos at the time, was pulled over by Florida highway patrol in 2021 due to the fact that his Chevrolet vehicle returned an ‘unassigned’ result on a tag search.
When officers reached the vehicle, the smell of marijuana was clear and this prompted a full search of the car. Inside the car, officers would discover a selection of weed, as well as two handguns.
One of the guns had been reported stolen in Missouri and this was found in the glovebox, while a second handgun was found in a bag of Bradham’s belongings. As of 2022, his NFL career is at an end.
This wasn’t Bradham’s first brush with the law regarding gun possession. Back in 2016, he was arrested at Miami International Airport when TSA employees found a loaded gun in his backpack.
He was arrested on the spot, although no charges came as he showed no criminal intent.
