Some pro football players don’t just make bad relationship choices; they make a serious personal foul. Here are 15 examples of relationship fumbles.
- Mark Sanchez: The Jets quarterback met high school Eliza Kruger at a bar, who wasted no time getting to know him off of the field. Although no charges or disciplinary actions took place, it’s bizarre to think about an athlete publically getting together with someone so young.
- Deion Sanders: The then 44-year-old who had been married for over ten years chose a woman young enough to be his daughter to cheat with. Probably the worst part is Sanders needed his friend to be his wingman to seduce the 19-year-old.
- Eugene Robinson: The timing couldn’t have been worse. On the eve of Super Bowl 33, after being honored with the coveted Bart Starr award for high moral character, Robinson decided to celebrate by finding a prostitute. Unfortunately, they were an undercover detective, much to the chagrin of his wife and kids.
- Lance Johnstone: Johnstone joined a few of his teammates for a sex party aboard some boats, wives and girlfriends not invited; prostitutes, however, were. Authorities arrested them once they decided to use someone’s lawn as a toilet which was just one of the many bad decisions made that night.
- Steve McNair: For McNair, it was just a fling, but for his young mistress it was much more. After becoming jealous that he wasn’t leaving the wife, she led him to a condo where she shot him four times before shooting herself.
- Antonio Cromartie: Cromartie has taken “too many men on the field” to a whole different level by fathering a dozen children – most of which, he has a hard time remembering what their names are – with eight women. His child support payments are reportedly so high that he needed a signing bonus from the Jets this offseason just to cover them.
- Brett Favre: In 2008 while his wife was recovering from breast cancer, Favre sent Jet’s sideline reporter Jenn Sterger inappropriate pictures, voicemail messages, and text messages. Two massage therapists came forward stating that they had received similar messages. Favre’s public image suffered, partially because he sent inappropriate pictures of his junk, partially because he was wearing clogs in the photo.
- Tom Brady: In 2006, while his girlfriend Bridget Moynahan was pregnant, the news that he had been seeing Gisele Bundchen on the side broke up. The exact timeframe is unclear but needless to say he and Bridget split up and he married Giselle in 2009.
- Tiki Barber: When Tiki Barber joined NBC, he wound up quitting more than his football career. As his wife of over ten years was eight months pregnant with twins, Barber was cheating with a twenty-three-year-old intern.
- Vernon Davis: After being engaged to Vernon for fifteen years, in which they had three children together, his finance found out about the twenty-year-old he was fooling around with. She put the news on Instagram for all to see.
- Ray Rice: In May of 2014, video evidence surfaced of Rice attacking his wife (fiancé at the time) in an Atlantic City elevator before dragging her unconscious body out of it. Though no charges were filed, and they eventually married, Rice’s public image was shattered and he never really recovered from it.
- Chad Ochocinco: Chad was pursuing an affair with a woman he had met on Twitter while his fiancé was setting up their wedding. Chad and his wife were only married a few months; after confronting Ochocinco about a receipt for condoms, he headbutted her, leading to his arrest.
- Gene Atkins: After allegedly attacking a business partner, Atkins attacked his wife with a remote, as well as beat and choked her. When the cops arrived, he punched one in the throat before grabbing knives. He claims it was early onset dementia.
- Rae Carruth: His eight month’s pregnant girlfriend wanted to keep the child. Rae, however, hired his friend to execute her. His friend shot her five times. His girlfriend survived long enough to call 911. Rae is serving a 24 year sentence.
- Chris Terry: In 2010, the former offensive tackle brutally attacked his wife in front of their two kids. After slamming her into a wall, he headbutted her, and then began smothering her face with a pillow.
