There are many other players that didn’t make the list but these are the stories that I found and they are quite disturbing. Some of you will remember these names, but some stories I’ve never heard of. Let’s get into the sad darkness of these individuals lives & tales of evil.
#10 Billy Cannon: (Oilers 1960-63, Raiders 1964-69, Chiefs 1970)
This player makes the list for the uniqueness of his crime. One of the greatest players of his generation, Billy Cannon could do it all. When #1 LSU played #3 Ole Miss, both teams had only given up 1 touchdown in 7 games. Losing 3-0 late in the game, Cannon took a punt 89 yards breaking several tackles to give LSU the lead which most consider the greatest play in LSU history. He then made the game winning tackle. After an amazing career at LSU where he won the Heisman Trophy & lead the Tigers to the National Championship, he was the 1st overall pick in the AFL draft. He had great success at Houston & Oakland & ended his career in Kansas City. He then became a dentist.
Cannon had a thriving dental practice but also had great debt due to gambling & bad real estate investments. He & others became involved in a counterfeiting scheme that printed over 6 million dollars in $100 bills. He was caught & did 2 1/2 years in prison. After prison, he eventually got his dentist license back and become one of the most important medical people in the prison system running the dental program.
He died in 2018 and was much beloved by all who knew him. He was re-elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and for the most part was forgiven by all. He remains the nicest guy by far on this list. Below is the 1964 Billy Cannon football card from his 1964 season in Oakland that I have in my collection.
#9 Keith Wright: (Texans 2003, Colts 2003-04, Bucs 2004-05, Cards 2005, Bucs & Lions 2006)
Keith Wright was given 234 years in prison which is the longest sentence ever given by any athlete in history. A once promising player out of Missouri, after his NFL career fizzled out, he did a full fledged life of crime. He had 19 felonies including several home invasions, forced sex acts/sexually assaulting one victim and then making her go to the ATM after, kidnapping, and false imprisonment.
#8 Eric Naposki: (Patriots 88-89, Colts 1989, Barcelona Dragons 1991-92, 96-97)
UConn Product Eric Naposki had a short stint in the NFL but some nice runs in the short lived World Football League. In 3 1/2 seasons with Barcelona he recorded 16 1/2 sacks along with several blocked punts and field goals. He also had a dark secret.
In May of 2009 he was arrested for the 1994 murder of Bill McLaughlin who was famous for creating a machine that could separate plasma from blood and also simplify the dialysis procedure. He and his partners collected over 8 figures for their invention.
Naposki had become the boyfriend of Nanette Packard Johnston who before they met at 26 and with 2 kids; put up an ad in the personal section that stated, “Wealthy men only-I know how to take care of a man if he knows how to take care of me”. The newly divorced 52 year old McLaughlin fell for her immediately. She moved into his mansion and she talked him into letting her be his bookkeeper.
McLaughlin was eventually found dead at home with 6 gun shot wounds to the torso. Johnston & Naposki were eventually arrested for murdering McLaughlin for his life insurance. After embezzling over $500,000.00 from McLaughlin’s estate, Johnston was arrested and convicted for taking the money from his estate but as is in Orange County she was given a suspended sentence. A cold case detective opened up the case 15 years later and after talking to more witnesses, eventually helped get Johnston & Naposki convicted. To this day Naposki claims innocence & is still trying to get out while both of them serve life sentences in prison.
#7 Jovan Belcher: (Kansas City 2009-12)
Jovan Belcher at best was a long shot to make the NFL. He was not drafted and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Kansas City Chiefs. In time he made the team and even started. His acts of kindness were of legend and he was adored by fans and players alike. He met and began living with his girlfriend Kasandra Perkins. She was only 20 and eventually she got pregnant by him.
As time went on Jovan eventually lost his starting job as the Chiefs middle linebacker. After several concussions and threats by the Chiefs coaching staff telling him that his days were numbered if his play didn’t improve, Jovan changed and the pressure was getting to him. He felt bullied by coaches. He drank heavily, and popped pain pills due to the injuries he had sustained because he didn’t want to miss any playing time. Many friends said he was forgetful, moody, and very much not himself. After his death it was found that he had pervasive CTE due to the numerous concussions he suffered. The Chiefs refused to comment on his health or how they handled him.
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/vahe-gregorian/article4201525.html
As with some pro athletes, Jovan had another girlfriend on the side. After their baby was born, the fighting increased between Kasandra and Jovan. One day after a huge fight, Jovan took a .40 caliber hand gun and shot Kasandra 9 times, killing her. He kissed her forehead and said he was sorry. His baby was in the house and his mother who was staying with them called 911. Below is the horrible 911 call. Please don’t listen if you are sensitive.
He then drove to the Chiefs practice facility and was seen by head coach Romeo Crennel and GM Scott Pioli along with other staff members. They pleaded with him to calm down. Sadly Belcher got on his knees, made the sign of the cross on his chest and said he had to go. He then shot himself in the head in front of everyone. Friends to this day remain shocked at this tragedy. Belcher was 25, Kasandra 22. To their credit, the NFL elected to give their child all of his benefits.
#6 Darren Sharper: (Packers 1997-2004; Vikings 2005-08; Saints 2009-10)
NFL players and sexual assault allegations are far from strangers, but Darren Sharper took it to a new level. The 5 time pro-bowler and Super Bowl winner with the Saints, was enjoying success as an analyst on the NFL Network. This good looking, popular player was on the party trail and loved the ladies. He was known as a smooth talker who definitely liked to play at night.
What people didn’t know is that Sharper and 2 of his friends were serial rapists. They would use various drugs including GHB (the date rape drug that scrambles your memory) to drug and sexually assault over 16 women in 4 states. In one binge, they sexually assaulted 4 women in 24 hours.
Another time Sharper admitted to meeting a man and 2 women at a club and when they went back to his hotel, he drugged all 3 and sexually assaulted the 2 women. Thankfully many went to the hospital immediately after and through the use of rape kits and interviews, Sharper and his friends were arrested. Even with the first couple of allegations, Sharper shockingly got off the charges. When he was finally convicted, he did a plea bargain to only do 9 years in jail. The judge was so outraged at the sentence she changed it to 20 years in Federal prison. The judge and the DA also scolded the police departments and the justice system for it’s protection of Sharper citing his celebrity and fame from being a pro football player as being the reason.
#5 Jim Dunaway: (Bills 1963-71; Dolphins 1972)
“Big” Jim Dunaway is one of the greatest Buffalo Bills players of all time. Dunaway played between 1963-1971 for Buffalo and ended his career in 1972 getting a Super Bowl ring with the perfect Miami Dolphins team. He was ranked as the 28th best Bill of all time by a local Buffalo publication. He was a 4 time AFL all-star, 2 time AFL Champion, and many thought he should be in the pro football Hall of Fame. Alas his story reads somewhat like another Buffalo great, OJ Simpson.
After a nasty divorce and long legal battle in 1995, his ex-wife Nonnie got ½ of his NFL pension, 800 acres of land on their dairy farm, and $1800/month spousal support. Jim was outraged at the decision and felt he was screwed. In time it was found out that Jim had a woman on the side that he spent several thousands of dollars to keep happy. In 3 years he spent over $81k on her, and the judge wasn’t pleased. Dunaway tried to hide his money and also filed bankruptcy while appealing the decision.
It dragged out and it got ugly. One day Dunaway said that he went to his old house to get some clothes. He stated that he and his ex-wife were cordial and supportive and it was a typical visit. Later that day though, Nonnie Dunaway was found in their half filled pool dead. After an autopsy it was found out that she had drowned, but only after someone had crushed her skull before throwing her into the pool. Even though Jim was the only one to see Nonnie that day, the grand jury for some insane reason didn’t think there was enough circumstantial evidence to arrest him so they did not even pursue going after Dunaway. The police had no other suspects.
Dunaway’s distraught kids were outraged. They stated publicly their father had killed their mom and filed a civil lawsuit against Jim. In 2002 the Jury found in favor of the kids and he was ordered to pay over $579k in damages. Jim was upset at his children for not believing him but they relented profusely. Almost everyone close to the situation thought Jim got away with murder. Jim Dunaway died in 2018.
#4 Rae Carruth: (Carolina Panthers 1997-99)
One of the most chilling 911 calls I’ve ever heard. Rae Carruth grew up fast and self absorbed and made many mistakes in life. Even as a young adult his pension for selfish behavior was the norm. He was a star at Colorado and during his sophomore season his Sacramento girlfriend had his son. Carruth had nothing to do with the son until his girlfriend filed for child support. After talking with Carruth, she agreed to take ½ of the child support due to her as long as Carruth became a more responsible father. He agreed but failed to do it.
Carruth, like many athletes was no stranger to the dating world. He casually dated Cherica Adams and eventually she became pregnant. That was unacceptable to the narcissistic Carruth who demanded she get an abortion. He told others that he didn’t want to pay any more child support. She refused to end the pregnancy.
He paid $50,000 for a friend of his to kill Adams on a dark road. While she followed Carruth after going to the movies with him, Adams noticed he stopped right in front of her so she couldn’t move. A car came up beside her and while Carruth had her blocked, the gunman shot at her multiple times. After the shooting stopped, Carruth coldly drove off with the deed done. The problem was Adams was not dead. Below is the actual 911 call of her harrowing experience after being shot. She soon would lapse into a coma and die a month later giving birth to her son.
Shockingly Carruth was given bail and told if the baby or Cherica died, he had to turn himself in. When Cherica died a month later, a manhunt ensued. He was found hiding in a trunk of a car with $3900, chocolate, and urine in bottles.
Their son, Chancellor Adams, was born with cerebral palsy due to the lack of oxygen. Thinking that Carruth would come off bad in his trial, his lawyers never let him take the stand. He arrogantly said he did nothing wrong even though his assailants turned against him and exposed their plot. Carruth was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and other chargers but was not convicted of first degree murder which would have probably given him the death penalty. All but one juror voted for the 1st degree conviction. Carruth was released in 2018. In a final insane act of selfishness, Carruth threatened to sue for custody of his son after he got out but he eventually he didn’t do it.
#3 OJ Simpson:
This one is too well known to get too deep into. OJ lived a secret life while being loved by all. He was an abusive tyrant that most of the country felt got away with murder. The murders were beyond violent and sick. He and Rae Carruth have some serious issues. Simpson was released from prison earlier this year after serving a 9 year sentence in Nevada for unrelated crimes. I’m sure he will look for Nicole and Ronald’s killer on some golf course somewhere.
#2 Robert Rozier: (St. Louis Cardinals 1979; Hamilton Tiger-Cats 1980; Saskatchewan Roughriders 1980; Oakland Raiders 1980)
Robert Rozier was born in Alaska, and moved to California. He played High School ball during the glory days of the Rancho Cordova dynasty in Sacramento California where they were considered a national power.
Rozier was drafted in the 9th round and showed potential after a quality career at California Berkeley playing defensive end. The promise was wasted when it was found out he was also a heavy drug user. After several run in’s with the law, the Cardinals dumped Rozier after 6 games. Rozier played in Canada and had a cup of coffee with the Raiders before being released, never being able to conquer his demons.
Feeling lost, he began doing petty crimes and joined an African American cult based in Miami called the Temple of Love. After befriending the leader Yahweh ben Yahweh, he changed his name to Neariah Israel.
There was one problem in joining this group. To join the “brotherhood” you had to kill a “white devil” and bring back a body part to prove you did it. Rozier wanted to be an overachiever and he brought back 7 body parts from 7 different people. He eventually admitted to killing 7 white people people and delivering the victims body parts to please his leader. After being arrested on Halloween of 1986, he agreed to turn on his leader and became a witness for the government and enter the witness protection program. Even being a witness after a plea bargain, he was sentenced to 22 years in prison for his murderous spree.
After serving 10 years, Rozier was placed in the witness protection program. Due to the third strike law, he was sentenced to 25 years to life after writing 29 bad checks. He’s now serving his time in a California prison.
#1 Randall Woodfield: (Green Bay Packers 1974);
The I-5 killer. One of the most notorious criminals in the annals of the U.S. was the I-5 killer, Randall Woodfield. His story is bone chilling. Randall had severe problems even at an early age. He was a good high school and college football player but he often would get into trouble for petty crimes including flashing and indecent exposure. Even with his issues, the Packer’s felt he had potential and they drafted him, but he continued to have questionable behavior. With more trouble with the law due to his crimes, Woodfield was cut and placed on the practice squad. He played for the semi-pro team Manitowoc Chiefs where borderline players trying to make the Packers team often played.
The Packers put up with a lot but eventually they could not handle his many problems. After more arrests with flashing women, he was sent home by the Packers who refused to have anything more to do with him after this.
Woodfield went back home in Portland, Oregon and he started doing severe crimes. He made women perform sex acts by knife point and also robbed them. He eventually was caught and was given a 10 year prison sentence, but his crime spree was just starting. After he got out of jail, a classmate of his was brutally murdered and even though the police felt he did it, Woodfield was never charged due to a lack of physical evidence.
In the beginning he was dubbed the “I-5 Bandit” and his reign of terror was felt in California, Oregon and Washington along the I-5 corridor. The crimes worsened. When he was finally caught, he was linked to over 44 murders, and 60 sexual assaults from 1979-81. He is now doing life in prison and even today he is one of the first people they look to in many unsolved cold cases in California, Washington and Oregon. Most in law enforcement think he killed and raped dozens more people.
There you have it. The worst of the worst criminals in NFL history. Their stories give a disturbing reminder that things and people aren’t always what they seem. Be careful who you look up to.
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