Opinion: Top 10 athlete arrests of all time

Athletes are just like anyone else. Sometimes, they do stupid things. The only difference is that they are placed under the national spotlight, causing any missteps to become national news in a matter of minutes.

Here are the top 10 athlete arrests of all time.

10. Plaxico Burress:

Ah, what a way to start. Plaxico Burress was a talented receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants. With the Giants, Burress received Super Bowl glory after catching the game-winning touchdown against the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXII. However, just two short years later, his life would become much different. On Nov. 28, 2008, while at a club in New York City, Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg with a pistol he was carrying. Although he only injured himself, New York’s gun laws are strict. Burress ended up serving two years in prison before being released on June 6, 2011.

9. Travis Henry:

Travis Henry is a familiar name for Tennessee fans. The former Vol and NFL running back had a decent career on the field. He rushed for over 6,000 yards in the NFL and made the Pro Bowl in 2002. His off of the field demeanor was a much different story. He tested positive for marijuana use twice, resulting in his one-year suspension on Aug. 31, 2008. His most infamous incident, though, came when he was arrested on Sept. 30, 2008 for drug trafficking. Henry was described as the kingpin behind a large-scale cocaine operation. Although the maximum sentence he could have received was life in prison, Henry was only sentenced to three years on July 15, 2009. When you have 11 children with 10 different women, money is probably hard to come by.

8. Sonny Liston:

One of the most recognizable and best heavyweight boxers of all time, Sonny Liston and trouble were inseparable. He was so intertwined with trouble that he was introduced to and learned how to box while imprisoned in Missouri between 1950 and 1952 (after being arrested over 20 times). When he was paroled in 1952, Liston went on to become arguably the greatest heavyweight boxer in the world, at least until Muhammad Ali arrived on the scene. One of those arrests involved Liston assaulting police officers and then, upon being released, was almost immediately arrested again for impersonating a police officer. Liston also fought much of his career with mafia ties, with some even believing they were responsible for his death. A fantastic boxer, Liston never could find peace outside the ring.

7. Lawrence Phillips:

Phillips was once a supremely talented running back for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, but he was never able to stay out of trouble. In 2005, Phillips was wanted for two separate domestic abuse incidents involving his former girlfriend, but it soon got worse. On Aug. 21, 2005, Phillips was arrest for driving his car into a group of teenagers, injuring three of them, after a dispute stemming from a backyard football game. On Oct. 10, 2006, he was sentenced to 10 years for felony assault with a deadly weapon. His problems were not yet done, though, and in August of 2009, he was sentenced to 25 years for the domestic assault incidents. This sentence was to be consecutive with his 10 year sentence (which was later reduced to seven years). Then, on April 12, 2015, Phillips’ cellmate was found strangled to death in their cell. Phillips was charged with first-degree murder and faced the possibility of the death penalty. The trial never commenced, as he was found dead in his cell on January 13, 2016 after he had committed suicide. Sports are usually sources of great joy and escape, but Phillips’ story brings just sadness.

6. Ray Lewis:

Although no jail time came from this arrest, it is hard to dispute that the arrest of arguably the best middle linebacker of all time on murder charges is not a major deal. On Jan. 31, 2000, a fight was started between Lewis, his companions and two other men, Jacinth Baker and Richard Lollar. The fight resulted in Baker and Lollar being stabbed to death. Though there seemed to be enough evidence to link Lewis to the crime, but Lewis was able to reach a plea agreement that allowed the charges against him to be dropped in exchange for his testimony. Lewis was never convicted and never served time, but many people find it hard to believe that Lewis has no connection to what happened that night.

5. Maurice Clarett:

One of the most electric and promising football players of his time, Clarett had the potential to become an all-time great running back. Like every other athlete on this list, though, he had many problems off of the field. An incredible freshman season for Ohio State in 2002 made up the entirety of his college career. Clarett was suspended for the entire 2003 season after filing a false police report, and he was later dismissed from the university altogether. He then moved to Los Angeles to begin working on getting drafted into the NFL. But, then his drug and alcohol problems began. After his attempt at an NFL career faltered (he had been inactive from the sport for three years), Clarett’s troubles magnified. On Jan. 2, 2006, he was arrested for two counts of armed robbery. The process would last for much of 2006, and the trial was delayed until September. On Aug. 9, however, Calrett was arrested again after leading police on a wild car chase. Once he was pulled over, police found a katana, an AK-47, and other loaded handguns as well as an open bottle of vodka in the vehicle. For these incidents, Clarett was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, but was released early after three and a half years on April 7, 2010.

4. Mike Tyson:

“Iron” Mike Tyson has always been a polarizing figure in the world of sports. Some people love him, others hate him. What many people have forgotten about Tyson, though, is that he is a convicted rapist. In July 1991, Tyson was arrested on rape charges of Desiree Washington, who was Miss Black Rhode Island. Washington claimed that Tyson had invited her to a party and, upon returning to his hotel room, pinned her down and sexually assaulted her against her will. Her claims were supported by Tyson’s chauffeur, Virginia Foster. Although Tyson vehemently denied the claims, the hostile way in which he responded to questions led many to believe that he was truly guilty. On Feb. 10, 1992, Tyson was convicted. On March 26, 1992, he was sentenced to six years in prison. He was released in March 1995 after serving three of those years.

3. Lawrence Taylor:

Lawrence Taylor was an All-NFL linebacker for the New York Giants throughout his career. He has lived a very precarious life off of the field, though. He has had numerous drug, assault and vehicle related problems. However, the most recent and arguably the worst of his troubles came when he was arrested in May of 2010. He was charged with third-degree statutory rape and third-degree patronization, all stemming from him partaking in intercourse with a 26 year-old girl and paying her $300 for it. On March 22, 2011, Taylor was sentenced to six years probation after he reached a plea deal in which he plead guilty to the charges.

2. Michael Vick:

On April 25, 2007, police found evidence of illegal dog-fighting at a property owned by Vick, and it was determined that he had been financing the operation. By August, Vick, along with the other men involved in the case, had agreed to their own plea deals to try and reduce their penalties. In November of that year, Vick turned himself in and began serving time to try and use it as credit towards what was going to inevitably become a prison sentence. He was eventually granted a shortened sentence of three years, depending on good behavior. He was released from prison on July 20, 2009.

1. O.J. Simpson:

Was No.1 on this list even in question? Orenthal James Simpson was the defendant in what has become known as the trial of the century. On June 12, 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson (Simpson’s former wife) and Ron Goldman were found dead in Los Angeles. On June 17, 1994, after refusing to turn himself in, Simpson led police on the infamous chase in the white Ford Bronco. Despite what many felt as enough evidence to convict him, he was declared not guilty on Oct. 3, 1995. His legal troubles have continued to this day, and many people still steadfastly believe that he committed the murders. It will be difficult for an athlete — or any person — to top Simpson’s arrest. The Bronco chase is one of the most infamous events in sports history.

Edited by Jordan Dajani and Nathan Odom

Featured image by Scott Davidson

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