Top 5 NFL controversies of 2022: From Deshaun Watson’s sexual misconduct allegations to Jerry Jones’ 1957 Little Rock photo
For Deshaun Watson, Jerry Jones, and every NFL player on the planet, 2022 is in its final moments. The year will be marked by NFL fans depending on how their team did, but some events cut across fanbases and drew jokes and ire from almost everyone.
From Watson's sexual harassment lawsuits to a former Packers quarterback taking from the poor, here's a look at the scandals that received either the most attention this year or did the most damage to its victims or a combination of the two.
#5 - Aaron Rodgers' rendezvous with Ayahuasca
Brett Favre wasn't the only Packers quarterback caught in the hostile spotlight this year. While the accusations leveled against Rodgers pale in comparison to those against Favre, so many fans reacted to what the quarterback did that it pushed the scandal into the top five.
According to The Guardian, it was revealed earlier this year that the quarterback had taken a hallucinogenic drug while in Peru in 2020. He even went so far as to say that it led to his multi-year run of dominance in the NFC that didn't get him to the Super Bowl, but made him one of the most feared quarterbacks during the regular season.
Will Aaron Rodgers return to the same level of dominance as his post-Ayahuasca run?
#4 - Jerry Jones' 1957 Little Rock Photo
The owner of the Dallas Cowboys was spotted in a photo from 1957 in Little Rock, Arkansas. The photo shows a group of people resisting desegregation, with the owner spotted in the crowd. The scandal prompted responses from all corners of the country.
LeBron James concluded his postgame press conference by rhetorically wondering why the media hasn’t asked him about the Jerry Jones 1957 Little Rock photo, after he was asked about the Kyrie Irving situation. LeBron said he was “disappointed” that he hasn’t been asked about Jones https://t.co/IvdJzZa5Fd
Basically, the emergence of the photo caused many to question whether the owner was a racist all along. Some slammed the owner with firey rhetoric. Others expressed shock and disbelief. More wrote off the photo as being so far in the past that it didn't represent who the owner was today.
Jerry Jones’ photo from 1957 is no small deal.
He’s made 2 minority coaching hires out of 27 total. It might not be causation, but there is correlation. https://t.co/MyDcGY1mOg
#3 - Brett Favre's welfare scandal
The former Packers legendary quarterback hasn't been charged criminally, according to CBS Sports. However, the quarterback is in hot water over being connected to helping misappropriate, at least, $5 million in welfare funds for a volleyball facility, according to CNN. The quarterback has denied the allegations.
Fans took to social media in droves to crack jokes and otherwise roast the quarterback for taking from a fund designed to help the poor to fund his own ventures.
#2 - Matt Araiza accused of participating in gang rape of minor
In the preseason, Bills punter Matt Araiza stunned fans with what may have been the best punt of the year. However, fans were also quickly stunned to learn about what the punter was accused of. Araiza was accused of participating in the gang rape of a minor while he was in college.
The Bills promptly cut him. However, after months of deliberation, he was acquitted of the charges. He said that he's looking forward to joining an NFL team. Fans were disgusted in droves by the punter, and he appears to still be looking for work in the NFL.
#1 - Deshaun Watson's sexual harassment lawsuits
Deshaun Watson's transgressions ranked as one of the top scandals of 2021 and remains as such this year. For most of the year, headlines centered around the latest developments in what turned out to be roughly two dozen accusations of sexual misconduct or sexual assault filed against Watson.
Over the course of the year, Watson slowly whittled down the complaints while getting traded and making an NFL-leading salary. Then, around the start of the regular season, it was announced that he would only be suspended for part of 2022. Then, upon return, he failed to take the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs or otherwise elevate the team.
Put simply, if one went to a sports website between January and September or in December, they saw headlines about the quarterback.