5 scandals that rocked the NFL feat. teams cheating, players accused of domestic abuse and manslaughter 

The NFL is the most watched and followed sport in America. There are fans of the teams, as well as the league, in general, across the country and around the world. Everything that happens within the NFL is major breaking news, from the results of the games on the field to all the storylines that arise off the field, as well.

When a player or coach is involved in a feel-good type of story, the world usually hears about it quickly, but not as rapidly as when they are involved in any sort of scandal or negative situation. This is especially true in the modern world, where social media has the ability to make anything go viral. Scandals can blow up immediately and become one of the main topics of conversation for sports fans everywhere, even among the general public.

The players, coaches, and staff members that represent the NFL have been involved in their fair share of scandals over the course of the league's history. Here are five of the biggest of all time. These stories dominated news cycles in the sports world and beyond. They became some of the biggest news stories, making headlines across all publications at the time they occurrred.

#5 - The Ray Rice Domestic Violence Case

Ray Rice Press Conference

During the 2014 NFL offseason, Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice and his then-fiancée and now-wife Janay Palmer were arrested in Atlantic City, following a heated fight between the two. Commissioner Roger Goodell initially suspended Rice for two games, which ended up being a huge mistake when TMZ released footage of the fight later.

The video shows Rice knocking Palmer unconscious and dragging her by her hair out of an elevator. Goodell admitted that he got the punishment wrong and suspended Rice indefinitely. He was later reinstated, but no NFL team ever signed him to a new contract. Rice faced criminal charges, which were later dropped after he and Palmer got married, adding to the public controversy.

#4 - New Orleans Saints Bountygate Scandal

New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams

Football is a violent game, and as a result, NFL players often suffer injuries. It's an unfortunate part of the game, but it's unavoidable due to its nature. It's particularly important for defensive players to be aggressive, which can, in turn, cause injuries to offensive players, but the New Orleans Saints took things to a different level.

The Bountygate scandal resulted in several Saints players and staff members receiving suspensions and fines. It was uncovered that defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was offering his players a financial reward for injuring opposing players. Head coach Sean Payton, general manager Mickey Loomis, and defensive captain Jonathan Vilma were among those disciplined for the incident.

5 NFL scandals that dominated news headlines

#3 - Michael Vick and the Dogfighting Ring

Philadelphia Eagles sign Michael Vick

Michael Vick is the first quarterback in NFL history to exceed 1,000 rushing yards in a single season. His athleticism is something he will be remembered for, but not quite as much as the dogfighting scandal he was involved in, which became one of the most high-profile cases and news stories in American history.

Vick was arrested, along with several others in association with Bad Newz Kennels, an illegal dog-fighting operation that was taken down as the subject of a federal investigation. Vick was charged with conspiracy and spent nearly two years in prison after being found guilty of funding the gambling side of the operation.

#2 - New England Patriots found guilty of Spygate and Deflategate

New England Patriots Tom Brady and Bill Belichick

During the New England Patriots' dominance in the NFL that lasted two decades with quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick, they earned six Super Bowl rings and the nickname The Evil Empire. The name was due to being hated around the NFL because of how much they won, but also because of the multiple cheating scandals they were involved with.

The Patriots were found guilty of Spygate when they were caught illegally filming on the sidelines of opposing teams to decode their coaching signals. Bill Belichick and the organization were fined and forced to surrender NFL draft picks. Eight years later, they were found guilty of Deflategate when they schemed to illegally modify game-used footballs. Tom Brady was suspended for four games while the Patriots were fined a million dollars and forced to surrender more NFL draft picks.

#1 - The Aaron Hernandez Case

New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez

Aaron Hernandez has a life story that is filled with many different controversial topics, including his criminal history. He had a long list of charges throughout his life as he was involved in many fights and drug situations while being associated with gang activity, both prior and during his NFL career.

His most serious charge was his final one, when he was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Odin Lloyd. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, but would seek an appeal for the final sentencing. While the process was ongoing, he tragically committed suicide in his prison cell.