Copied this from another forum:
1933 - 1936: Art Rooney keeps his new struggling franchise afloat with winnings from his racetrack gambling. Popular urban legend is that the team was initially bought with racetrack winnings, but it has been disputed by the later generation of Rooneys. (
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1970s: Multiple players on the 70s dynasty are either alleged to, or confirmed of taking steroids. While not illegal at the time, isn't this immoral? (No link, since this is pretty common knowledge)
March 1973: Lineman Ernie Holmes is arrested on the Ohio/PA turnpike for shooting at passing motorists and a police helicopter - sparking a manhunt that resulted in at least one officer being injured. He continued to play for the Steelers until 1977.
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June 1996: Bam Morris pleads guilty to felony possession of marijuana. He was cut by Pittsburgh shortly after the guilty plea.
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1997 - 2008: The Rooneys gambling interest in Florida (Palm Beach Kennel Club), New York (Yonkers Raceway), and elsewhere are in direct violation of NFL policy. Nothing is done until it becomes a front-page issue.
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May 2002: Plaxico Burress is arrested and charged with public intoxication in Virgnia Beach. No action taken. Burress would have a breakout season that year, and would stay on the team until after the 2004 season.
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October 2002: Jerome Bettis is accused of sexual assault against a woman seeking an autograph for her 2 year old son. Charges were not filed, and no disciplinary action was taken. Bettis, of course, would continue to play and be loved by fans and ownership alike until 2005.
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February 2006: Offensive lineman Trai Essex is charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Four years later, Essex started 16 games at RG for the Steelers in 2009.
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June 2006: Santonio Holmes, fresh off the draft board, is arrested for domestic violence and assault. This comes right on the heels of a Memorial Day weekend arrest for disorderly conduct after fighting with police. Charges were later dropped, and Holmes would remain on the team for the next 4 seasons, with no punishment for his repeated misconduct.
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October 2007: Running back Najeh Davenport is charged for domestic violence, unlawful restraint, and endangering a child, after a fight with the mother of his 5 year old son. Davenport was found not guilty. Not only did Davenport stay on the roster until June of 2008...but after he was cut, he was resigned in September of 2008 after injuries to Parker and Mendenhall. He was released again on November 8th, and resigned again for a week on November 27th. Obviously weren't worried about "Dookie's" character.
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March 2008: Cedrick Wilson is accused of punching an ex-girlfriend in the face. As an expendable wide low-ranking receiver, he was cut hours later.
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March 2008: James Harrison is arrested and charged with simple assault and criminal mischief after a domestic altercation with his girlfriend. Charges were dropped after Harrison completed anger management. No disciplinary action was taken, and to this day Harrison is one of the highest paid linebackers in the league.
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October 2008: Santonio Holmes is arrested and cited for possession of marijuana. He received a benching of one game.
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October 2009: Jeff Reed is cited for simple assault, resisting arrest, disordely conduct, and public drunkenness after scuffling with police officers outside of a Pittsburgh bar. This was a second run-in with the law, after the famous "paper towel dispenser" fiasco. The team invoked no discipline, and today Reed has been franchised, and is one of the most highly paid kickers in the league.
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This is a short list. But not counting what the Rooneys themselves have done, I count 10 different players either being accused, arrested, or charged. Some found guilty, some not. All guilty of staining the Steelers reputation. Out of those 10 - two were cut as a result. Morris and Wilson. Eight remained on the team for multiple seasons after their incidents.
