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NFL players have often found it difficult to bounce back into the league following legal issues, especially when those issues have seen an individual spend time in prison.
Yet, that hasn’t been the case for all, as a number of players have served their time, paid their debt to society, and then been welcomed back into the league with open arms.
Michael Vick is certainly the highest-profile NFL player to spend time in jail and return to the sport’s top league, but he is, by no means, the only one.
It’s unfortunate that we see these legal issues continuing, most recently in the case of Deshaun Watson, although, from quite early on, it was clear he wouldn’t be serving any jail time.
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The league has an unfortunate reputation of enabling criminal behavior among its players, albeit to a very minor level for the most part.
Roger Goodell wants the NFL to shake off this image, but can it really be done if convicted players get second chances? Which 5 NFL players returned to football after a spell in jail?
#1 – Plaxico Burress
NFL fans recoiled in bemusement when the details of Plaxico Burress’ off-field behaviors came to light.
In an incident that barely seemed believable at the time, with that feeling having not dimmed at all in subsequent years, the New York Giants player accidentally shot himself inside a nightclub.
The bullet went into his thigh, and Burress was later jailed on charges of violating New York gun laws.
Burress served 20 months in prison before being released in 2011.
Almost immediately upon his release, the NFL gave him a second chance as the New York Jets signed him to a one-year deal worth $3 million.
He would play for a further three seasons in the league, albeit not making an appearance in his final year in Pittsburgh.
#2 – Michael Vick
NFL players rarely have it as good as Michael Vick did after being drafted by the Atlanta Falcons.
Vick was the premier star at the quarterback position with his exciting, athletic style of play earning him plaudits both on and off the field.
Not only was he a regular MVP candidate, but he was also the poster boy for the Madden NFL video game franchise, with fans now remembering how his 2004 edition dominated the virtual gridiron.
So it was natural for the watching world to be appalled when Vick was sent to jail on dog-fighting charges.
In 2007, he was investigated for his role in the mistreatment and subsequent fighting of dogs in the Atlanta area. Vick then spent 21 months in a federal prison before being released back into society.
While the Falcons had given up on the quarterback, he was traded to Philadelphia where he would rebuild his reputation with the Eagles, forming a supreme partnership with Andy Reid.
He had seven further seasons in the NFL after prison and earned a staggering $53 million from the Eagles.
#3 – Michael Floyd
NFL player Michael Floyd pled guilty to DUI charges in 2017, all but ending his time with the New England Patriots, although he was suspended by the Arizona Cardinals upon his arrest in 2016.
Floyd would spend 24 days in a county jail as a result of his actions, with an additional one day added on for breaking the terms of his house arrest agreement.
After his release from prison, Floyd made an immediate comeback with the Minnesota Vikings with a contract that could have been worth up to $7 million including bonuses.
“I have been training extremely hard this offseason in addition to taking responsibility and paying the consequences for my mistake,” Floyd declared in his introductory remarks.
#4 – Tank Johnson
Tank Johnson was drafted in the second-round of the 2004 draft by the Chicago Bears.
He was expected to anchor their defense for years to come, but legal issues got in the way of that idea.
In 2007, he would spend 45 days in prison after a string of crimes which bordered on a minor scale, but were still a sign of someone who didn’t have their life together away from football.
The Bears released him, but he was signed by the Dallas Cowboys, with Jerry Jones keen to give Johnson another shot.
He was a regular there for two seasons before signing with the Bengals and playing a further two seasons in the league.
After retirement, Johnson lamented his time in jail, suggesting that he simply got caught up in too many problematic situations.
He now works with a counseling service that helps ex-offenders learn from their mistakes and avoid finding themselves in negative situations and environments.
#5 – Jamal Lewis
Jamal Lewis was found guilty of taking part in a drug-deal and was forced to spend four months inside a prison cell.
The sentence came at the height of his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens, where he emerged as a superstar running back, rushing for over 2,000 yards in a single season in 2003.
Unusually, the Ravens retained Lewis on their roster throughout the ordeal. He played a further two seasons with them, rushing for just over 2,000 yards.
His play caught the attention of the Cleveland Browns, who signed Lewis as a free-agent in 2007, where he would earn $20 million dollars, fully completing his rehabilitation from a prison stint.
