Legendary sports stars may awe us with their skills, but some have made headlines for all
the wrong reasons. These admired athletes have done awful things, and in some cases,
their reputations have been ruined by the horrific things they've done.
"Big" Ben Roethlisberger will never have to buy drinks in "Steel Town" as long as he lives.
But Pittsburgh's hall-of-fame bound quarterback also has as many sexual assault allegations
as he does Super Bowl wins.
In 2009, a woman named Andrea McNulty claimed the star forced himself on her at a Harrah's
hotel in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and filed a civil suit in response. McNulty worked at the hotel
and said Roethlisberger asked her to come to his room to fix his TV, after which he
allegedly grabbed her. Roethlisberger has maintained his innocence, and a co-worker
of McNulty claimed she bragged about sleeping with him. However, McNulty alleged eight fellow
employees were involved in a cover-up and asked for nearly half a million in the civil
suit that was settled out of court in 2012.
The following year, Big Ben met a college student at a club in Milledgeville, Georgia.
Her statement to police alleged that the QB bought shots for her and her friends. His
bodyguard then led her to a back room, where he allegedly entered with his private parts
exposed.
"One of his bodyguards came and like, didn't grab my arm, but was like 'Hey, come here,'
took me to this back, like, hallway…"
The anonymous woman's friends also gave statements backing the allegations. However, the victim's
attorney wrote the district attorney, asking him not to prosecute on grounds that a high-profile
public trial would be a, quote, "very intrusive personal experience." Roethlisberger was suspended
for four games, but was able to keep his Nike sponsorship.
In 2015, the NFL star signed a record-breaking contract, making him at the time the 11th
highest-paid athlete on earth.
Jim Brown is among the greatest football players to ever live and parlayed that fame into a
respectable film career. But he's also said the violence of the NFL is something he didn't
quite leave in his past. As the legendary running back put it in 1981,
"You got to have something, goin' out dealing with 270-pound linemen for a living. You quit
playing, but that doesn't just go away."
Another thing that hasn't gone away for Brown is a long string of accusations of violent
behavior and assault against women.
In 1999, Brown's wife accused him of threatening to murder her. He was arrested for making
terroristic threats and also vandalism, after he used a shovel to smash a window of her
car. When he was found guilty of the vandalism charge, he refused court-mandated counseling
and served three months in jail. In 1965, he was found not guilty of beating an 18-year-old
woman at a hotel; in 1970, another alleged assault went to trial; in 1978, he was convicted
of misdemeanor battery for choking a man he was golfing with, and got two years' probation;
in 1985, he was arrested on a charge of rape, which was later dismissed, and in 1986, he
was arrested for a charge of assaulting his girlfriend, and released when she declined
to press charges.
Perhaps Brown's most harrowing run-in with the law occurred in 1968. He was charged with
assault with intent to commit murder when a woman was found unconscious below his second-floor
balcony. He then allegedly struck a sheriff who responded. The bedraggled woman refused
to cooperate with police, and Brown got away with a mere fine of $300.
Of his half-century of allegations of violence against women, Brown comes across in his memoir
as regretful but not exactly repentant. As he put it,
"I have also slapped other women. And I never should have ... I don't start fights, but
sometimes I don't walk away from them."
In a 2015 interview with Graham Bensinger, he also expressed that many accusations of
violent behavior on his part are only allegations, and unsubstantiated.
"When people are accurate, it is what it is. When they're not, you know, it's unfortunate."
In retrospect, maybe everyone was a little hard on Alex Rodriguez. Steroids in baseball
aren't exactly a novel concept — roughly half of fans just assume juicing is an epidemic.
But A-Rod definitely didn't make it easier on himself.
At the height of his steroid scandal, the Mariners, Rangers, and Yankee great was widely
dubbed "A-Roid." As the New York Daily News tells it, part of this fall from grace was
tied to his reputation as a "diva" with a huge ego in the clubhouse, who was reportedly
deemed by his teammates to be a "phony and hypocrite." While he tried to project an image
of All-American wholesomeness, his fellow players saw a selfish, self-aggrandizing person
with an obnoxious habit of hitting on their girlfriends and wives.
When the outspoken Rodriguez tested positive for performance enhancing drugs in 2003 and
was later linked to a larger PED conspiracy, baseball's highest-paid player's haters finally
had something to latch on to. Former Met Jerry Blevins tweeted,
"What a hypocrite @Arod Take your steroids and make your millions THEN tell the players
they need to change. What a joke."
Also not helping matters? A-Rod, like other PED users, spent a lot of energy lying about
his use.
"Have you ever used steroids, human growth hormone, or any other performance enhancing
substance?"
“No.”
He lied to defend himself repeatedly, vehemently, and seemingly quite self-righteously, even
invoking his children as a way to attest to his character. But slowly, the truth about
his use came out. In 2009, he admitted to using PEDs from 2001 to 2003 as a part of
the Texas Rangers, and in 2013, he was suspended from the MLB after being implicated in the
Biogenesis of America scandal, reportedly receiving human growth hormone from the PED-providing
clinic. He came clean about his steroid use to the DEA in 2014, and then more publicly
on "Undeniable" with Joe Buck three years later.
His regret about his behavior seemed palpable as he reflected, saying,
"How stupid can you be? ... This thing cost me over $40 million. And it cost me my reputation,
and it may have cost me the Hall of Fame and a number of other things."
Ray Lewis had a reputation for ferocity on the gridiron. Even his in-game hype dances
had a terrifying explosiveness to them — part war dance, part message to the other team
that his hair-trigger energy was aimed at them. But violence intersected with his real
life in a very big way during an encounter one night in Georgia that left two men dead.
In 2000, then-24-year-old Lewis was charged with the fatal stabbing of two men outside
an Atlanta nightclub.
Around 4 a.m. on February 1, a verbal argument started between Lewis' crew and another group.
According to reports, a friend of the Baltimore Ravens star was struck with a bottle, and
a brawl broke out. Lewis was alleged to have been seen exiting the club in an intoxicated
state. Some claimed Lewis had a knife with him, while others were unsure. What is certain
is that two men were left dead, while Lewis' entourage made a speedy getaway as bullets
screamed towards their fleeing limo.
Lewis also allegedly lied to investigators and would be discovered with a receipt for
the knife that was alleged to be the murder weapon. The trial was contentious and full
of conflicting testimony.
"I thought he was dead right away. There was blood underneath his head. When they picked
his head up and when they picked his leg up there was no response in his body. He was
lifeless."
In the end, the linebacker struck a plea deal and testified against the two other men. The
victims' families sued Lewis for $10 million, and the case was settled out of court for
an undisclosed sum.
Lewis was also fined by the NFL, but would return to action for another decade of on-field
excellence and retire in 2013 after winning two Super Bowls. He has since become a respected
host of Showtime's "Inside the NFL."
Floyd Mayweather is widely considered the best boxer to ever live. He's never lost a
fight. He's never been knocked down. Having only been stunned a handful of times in his
50-fight career, "Money" Mayweather also employs a signature style that makes him seem impossible
to hit, and when opponents miss, he uses his legendary speed to make them pay.
This defensive mindset has had a tendency to slow down fights and enrage fans, but professionally,
Floyd has embraced the role of the heel. He seemingly doesn't care if you tune in to see
him win or lose, just as long as you plunk down that sweet PPV cash.
Mayweather's personal life has also made him a target of fan ire. In 2002, he pleaded guilty
to a charge of battery against the mother of one of his children, receiving a suspended
sentence. In 2004, he hit two women in a casino — and again faced few consequences.
But 2010 saw his most serious charge, once again being arrested for battery against Josie
Harris, the mother of three of his children. He spent two months behind bars on charges
of domestic violence and harassment, after pleading down from more serious charges.
During the incident, Harris claimed Mayweather pulled her by the hair and punched her repeatedly.
She later told Yahoo! Sports,
"I had bruises on my body and contusions and [a] concussion because the hits were to the
back of my head. I believe it was planned to do that ... because the bruises don't show."
In 2012, he was the first double-amputee to compete in the Olympic games, earning the
nickname "Blade Runner" for his thin metal prosthetics.
On Valentine's Day 2013, Oscar Pistorius turned from an inspirational and unique sports figure
to an internationally-known villain when he shot and killed his model girlfriend, Reeva
Steenkamp.
Pistorius claimed he woke up in the middle of the night and mistook his girlfriend for
an intruder, firing four shots through a locked bathroom door, as he lay in bed without his
prosthetic legs.
A jury considered the evidence, and concluded that Pistorius was guilty of culpable homicide.
The trial and appeals process eventually ended with the original conviction being overturned;
instead, he was found guilty of murder, and given a 15-year prison sentence.
Kareem Hunt was one of the most potent parts of what became one of the most dangerous NFL
offenses of all time. Alongside human blur Tyreek Hill, all-time great tight end Travis
Kelce, and young GOAT Patrick Mahomes under center, Hunt's powerful running style was
set to help Kansas City build a new football dynasty in the City of Fountains.
However, all of that would be wiped out in an instant in November 2018, when a security
video emerged of Hunt arguing with a woman at a hotel in Cleveland, Ohio. According to
TMZ, who obtained and released the footage, a man tried to restrain a highly agitated
Hunt, but the running back tossed him aside and could then be seen "shoving, bull-rushing
and kicking a woman."
The Chiefs quickly cut Hunt and claimed he'd lied to the team about the incident — only
possible because, supposedly, no one had yet seen the video, including NFL investigators.
Hunt issued a statement via ESPN's Adam Schefter, saying:
"I want to apologize for my actions. I deeply regret what I did. I hope to move on from
this."
The talented running back, who led the league in rushing in 2017, would not be banished
for good ... despite two other alleged incidents of violence. He served an eight-game suspension
and signed with the Cleveland Browns in 2019. The following year, Hunt landed a two-year
extension worth over $13 million, with $8.5 million in guaranteed cash.
Four years before footage of Kareem Hunt's attack on a woman went viral, Ray Rice was
caught on camera committing a similarly shocking incident of domestic violence. The incident
sealed his reputation as an abuser in the minds of millions.
"I do think people certainly see you as a poster boy for domestic violence caught in
a very graphic way on tape."
Rice was another elite NFL running back who, despite a key fumble in the big game, helped
lead the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl win in 2013. All that changed in 2014, when
a shocking video emerged of Rice punching fiancée Janay Palmer in the face and knocking
her unconscious. Despite the horrific incident, the couple wed one month later and remain
married. In 2018, they maintained that the recorded punch was the only time there had
ever been violence in the relationship.
The Ravens released Rice later that year, and the NFL followed up with an indefinite
suspension. Initially, Rice wasn't ready to give up on football, but eventually realized
his playing days were done.
In 2018, a reflective Rice and wife Janay sat down with CBS This Morning and spoke to
Gayle King about the incident.
"What do you think, Ray, when you look at it now?"
"I hate that person. I hate him."
The only athlete who made more money than Lionel Messi in 2021 was Conor McGregor, raking
in an astounding $180 million — mostly from selling his Proper 12 Whiskey brand. But the
"The Notorious" Irish fighting sensation didn't get his fame, or his iconic nickname, without
getting into some trouble of his own.
McGregor has twice been accused of sexual assault, but the pugilist's most high-profile
implosion was caught on camera.
In 2018, the UFC star and two-weight world champion was angling for a bout against lightweight
Khabib Nurmagomedov. At the media day for UFC 223, McGregor and his entourage snuck
into a back entrance at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. That's when an agitated
McGregor attacked and threw a heavy metal dolly at a bus packed with fellow UFC fighters,
including Nurmagomedov. An explosion of glass injured multiple fighters, causing one to
be pulled from his fight after shards of glass injured his eye.
"Just tell me where, where and that's it. Why you need come here?"
McGregor would ultimately reach a plea deal to avoid jail time. But the provocation also
had the desired result — at least partially. McGregor and Nurmagomedov's fight at UFC 229
shattered all previous records for MMA pay-per-view buys. However, the bravado couldn't help McGregor
in the cage, as he was choked out in round four.
Tiger Woods hits golf balls so long and with such torque that it's taken a serious toll
on his body. In 2004, he rebuilt his swing for the first of at least three major stylistic
reconstructions. Unfortunately though, biomechanics can't be applied to his personal life, which
has been publicly crumbling nearly as long as his aching lower back.
In February 2021, Woods got in his third major car crash — certainly not what the doctor
ordered. Woods was doing 87 MPH — 45 MPH over the speed limit — when he crashed a
2021 Genesis SUV into a tree and rolled over. He severely injured his leg, but investigators
said there was "no evidence" of intoxication and no charges were filed, despite his unsafe
driving.
However, Woods' most infamous crash and burn was in 2009, when then-wife Elin Nordegren
discovered messages from other women on his phone as he slept. Nordegren later reportedly
assaulted Woods and chased him from their home with a golf club. The golfer, reportedly
under the influence of Ambien, jumped into his luxury SUV to escape, but immediately
crashed and was left bloody and unconscious, as neighbors witnessed Nordegren smashing
the car's windows with her club.
Woods would check into a Mississippi clinic that treats sex addiction, but the divorce
that followed still cost him $100 million. The whole episode tarnished his image, lost
him millions in endorsements, and derailed his career.
Michael Phelps is one of the most dominant swimmers in the history of the sport, commonly
regarded as the greatest of all time. But after his remarkable record-setting runs at
the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Olympics, his life took a turn for the worse.
In September 2014, a heavily-intoxicated Phelps was pulled over in Baltimore for speeding
at around 2 a.m., and he was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. The
incident got him suspended from competition, lost him opportunities, and sent him even
further into an existential tailspin. As Phelps recounted to Sports Illustrated in 2015,
"I was in a really dark place, not wanting to be alive anymore."
Others close to the swimmer told the magazine that he had clearly been struggling in the
leadup to his arrest. The troubled swimmer denied alcoholism, but checked himself into
a rehab clinic anyway and stayed the full 45 days.
"I think I was at a point in my life where something needed to change."
To say Manny "PacMan" Pacquiao is among the best fighters to ever lace up a pair of gloves
doesn't quite capture the brilliance of this Filipino wrecking machine. The man has defined
"anytime, anywhere" in his 71-fights-and-counting pro career, capturing too many world titles
to list through a staggering 12 weight classes. Even in his 40s, he's continuing his quest
against much younger and bigger boxers.
Pacquiao is also a senator in his native Philippines, where he represents a largely Catholic population,
holding traditional views on sex and sexuality. His brand, however, is global, and the world
took notice in 2016 when he called couples in same-sex relationships, quote, "worse than
animals" during an interview with local television.
The fighter called his stance "common sense," asking,
"Do you see animals mating with the same sex? Animals are better because they can distinguish
male from female."
Nike, Pacquiao's longtime corporate partner, instantly dropped him, calling Pacquiao's
comments "abhorrent" in a statement. The fighter, a born-again Christian, quickly issued an
apology amid the swift backlash while wearing a visible swoosh logo on Instagram:
"Please forgive me for those I've hurt. I still stand on my belief that I'm against
same-sex marriage because of what the Bible says, but I'm not condemning L.G.B.T. I love
you all with the love of the Lord."
Philippine LGBTQ+ rights group, Ladlad, called for Pacquiao to not be voted into office in
response to his statement, but the controversy around his views ultimately didn't impact
his run for Senate
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National
Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources,
and support at their website.