From the outside, the life of a National Football League player looks quite glamorous. The league is the most successful in the world today, and the salary cap is at an all-time high. Players are getting millions of dollars to play a game they love while being the subject of adoration for millions of fans.
While it all sounds nice, it does not tell the whole story. Most players deal with injuries throughout their careers. Some carry the effects of years of battles for the rest of their lives. Then there is the adjustment to no longer being part of the spotlight. It might not seem like a big deal, but some players live for that moment.
It is not known whether former NFL star Darren Sharper is suffering through any of these, but one thing has become clear. The five time Pro Bowler and six time All-Pro is in a lot of trouble. The one time Green Bay Packer safety turned himself in to authorities in California for two charges of rape in that state.
His problems do not stop there. Not only is he charged with rape in California, but he has similar charges waiting for him in New Orleans. A CNN article mentions that he is also being investigated in Nevada and Arizona on charges that fit along these same lines. Charges in one state is bad enough, but possibly four spells a disturbing trend.
Obviously one is innocent until proven guilty in this country, but Sharper cannot be looking too good right now. For those wondering how a lawyer will go about dealing with some many charges, some insight was shared by Leonard Levine. Levine is one of Sharper’s attorneys, and he stated, “It was all consensual contact with women who wanted to be in his company.”
That response was given in response to all of the supposed charges against the former safety. By taking this tack, it would seem to suggest that Sharper is saying that something did occur in all of the cases. It also seems to imply that Sharper believes all of these ladies are trying to cash in on a payday at his expense.
That could be a dangerous angle to pursue as it suggests that all of these women are conspiring in some form. This could be hard to prove, especially when it could end up being 4 or 5 different accusers in different states. One could also theorize that the prosecution in each case will say that all the charges show a pattern of lawbreaking on the part of Sharper.
Sharper is already facing consequences for his actions. Since retiring, Sharper signed a nice deal to work with the NFL Network as a studio analyst. He appeared to be doing a good job on his segments, but those will be the only ones he will do. The network decided to not wait for the outcome of all the charges, instead choosing to fire him last week.
Being let go by the NFL Network should be the least of his worries now. If convicted of the charges in New Orleans alone, Sharper could be facing life in prison. That would be a long way down from the revered All-Pro he was just a few years back.