The NFL is known for putting out a family friendly product every Sunday, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t always go to plan.
Sometimes the league has to get involved when teams or owners try to push the envelope too far, or worse yet, find themselves mired in controversy.
So let’s take a look at the “Top 10 Biggest Scandals in NFL History”, and look back some of the more awkward experiences that the league has had to glaze over.
Yes, we did forget some of them. No, it’s not on purpose. Yes, we’ll cover those in another article.
Today, we’re diving into the seedy underbelly of the NFL to explore the top 10 biggest scandals that have rocked the league. Grab your popcorn and your foam finger, folks – this is going to be a wild ride!
1. Deflategate: The Ballsy Controversy
In 2015, the New England Patriots found themselves in hot water when it was discovered that their footballs were softer than a marshmallow in a microwave. Quarterback Tom Brady was accused of orchestrating this nefarious plot to gain an advantage, leading to a saga that lasted longer than most NFL careers. The league tried to sweep it under the rug, but the scandal had more air time than a blimp at the Super Bowl.
Tommy has always maintained that he ‘had no idea’ about the balls being deflated, but his recent Netflix roast might pump some air into that claim.
2. Spygate: The Patriots’ Peeping Tom Moment
Before Deflategate, there was Spygate. In 2007, the Patriots were caught videotaping the New York Jets’ defensive signals, proving that Bill Belichick’s playbook might have included a chapter on espionage. The NFL destroyed the tapes faster than a teenager clearing their browser history, leaving us all wondering what other secrets were hidden in that grainy footage.
For those of you still wondering, a ‘videocamera’ was a device used in the late 90s’ early 2000s’ to capture a parents joy at their eldest child. They of course were replaced with smartphones, as were parents in 2021.
3. The CTE Cover-Up: Not Just Another Headache
For years, the NFL tried to downplay the link between football and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease. It took a Hollywood movie and Will Smith’s accent in “Concussion” to bring this issue to the forefront. The league’s initial response was about as effective as using a Band-Aid for a broken leg.
Now we have seen the full blown effects of CTE, and with the amount of head trauma and pain still circling the league, these will be 3 letters we will be hearing a lot more from in coming years.
4. The Ray Rice Elevator Incident: A Knockout Blow to the NFL’s Reputation
When video footage emerged of Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice knocking out his fiancée in an elevator, the NFL’s initial two-game suspension seemed about as appropriate as wearing flip-flops to a black-tie event. The league’s fumbling of this domestic violence case led to a major overhaul of its personal conduct policy and a collective facepalm heard ’round the world.
The NFL can’t be there to police players everyday during the offseason, but hopefully there is space for more mental health and domestic relationship training for some of these players.
5. Bountygate: When Football Turned into The Hunger Games
In 2012, it was revealed that the New Orleans Saints had been running a bounty program, paying players to injure opponents. Suddenly, “Who Dat?” became “Who Hurt Dat?” The NFL came down hard on the Saints, but not before the scandal exposed the dark underbelly of football’s violent nature.
Let’s be honest, putting ‘bounties’ on players is nothing new, but it’s usually in the arena of hockey that this happens. ‘Bountygate’ but an ugly word on a practise that was already happening in the league for decades.
6. The 1925 NFL Championship Controversy: Granddaddy of All Scandals
Let’s take a trip down memory lane to 1925, when the Pottsville Maroons were stripped of their NFL title due to a territorial dispute. This might be ancient history, but it’s proof that the NFL has been sweeping things under the rug since before rugs were invented.
Despite ‘winning’ the title game over the Chicago Cardinals, the Maroons were deemed to have ‘cheated’ by playing an exhibition game and violating ‘territorial rights.’
There was a lot of no-goodery going on back in the 1920s’.
7. The NFL’s Tax-Exempt Status: A Financial Hail Mary
For years, the NFL operated as a tax-exempt organization, despite raking in billions. It was like claiming your pet goldfish as a dependent – technically legal, but raising more than a few eyebrows. The league finally gave up this status in 2015, presumably when someone pointed out that “non-profit” and “multi-billion-dollar industry” don’t exactly go hand in hand.
Just like a mega-church, the NFL became the biggest deity on Sundays, but that doesn’t mean that they are beyond the tithe. Many still complain that the NFL brings in ‘too much money’, which is something that the NFL does not complain about.
8. The Washington Commanders’ Workplace Culture: A Toxic Stew
Recent investigations into the Washington Commanders (formerly Redskins) revealed a workplace culture that was about as welcoming as a cactus patch. From sexual harassment to financial improprieties, this scandal had more layers than a linebacker’s game-day outfit. The NFL’s initial response was slower than a defensive lineman in a marathon.
Dan Snyder might go down as the most ‘POS’ owner to have ever owned a team, until you look at some of the old chestnuts who have owned teams before him. Take a cold shower Snyder, and make sure you film yourself like you did those cheerleaders.
9. The NFL’s Handling of Colin Kaepernick: Taking a Knee, Giving a Cold Shoulder
When Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice, the NFL’s response was about as smooth as a quarterback trying to catch his own pass. The league’s attempts to sidestep the issue led to accusations of blackballing and a settlement that probably cost more than most Super Bowl commercials.
Take a knee, don’t take a knee, Colin K still maintains that he is ‘ready to play’ in the NFL again. Our knees will most likely give out before that ever happens again.
10. The St. Louis Rams Relocation Lawsuit: Show Me the Money!
The NFL’s handling of the Rams’ move from St. Louis to Los Angeles was about as transparent as a brick wall. The ensuing lawsuit revealed that the league had potentially violated its own relocation guidelines, leading to a settlement that made team owners check their couch cushions for spare change.
Art Modell could have told them that the best way to do it, would be to load up some trucks in the middle of the night and shuffle off. Cheaper, and way more surprising.
From deflated balls to inflated egos, the NFL has seen its fair share of scandals. While the league often tries to sweep these controversies under the astroturf, they serve as reminders that even America’s favourite sport isn’t immune to fumbles off the field.
We didn’t even get into the slew of drunk and dangerous driving charges that teams are now facing on a yearly basis, (talking to you Chiefs!)
In fact the legacy of the Chiefs from 2017 to the present is quite riddled with questionable behaviour and a shocking amount of drunken stupidity.
As fans, we’re left to wonder what the next big scandal will be. Will it involve performance-enhancing avocado ice cream? Perhaps we’ll discover that the referees have been making calls based on Magic 8 Balls all along. Whatever it is, one thing’s for certain: the NFL will be there, ready with a broom and a very large rug.
So the next time you settle in for some football, remember that behind the touchdowns and tackles lies a league with more secrets than a spy novel. But hey, that’s just part of the game, right? Now, if you’ll excuse us, we need to go check if our fantasy football league has a bounty program.
