When Terry Bradshaw went berserk on Ben Roethlisberger during latter’s sexual assault controversy
Ben Roethlisberger and Terry Bradshaw are two of the best quarterbacks in the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, Roethlisberger found himself in a sexual assault controversy back in 2010. Bradshaw, who was speaking at an event in his home state of Louisiana, shared his thoughts on Roethlisberger and the controversy.
Bradshaw said:
"Going to bars -- treating women like that; oh my God. I pray they don't cut (his NFL suspension) to four games. I hope they leave it at six. There is no excuse for that. The egos get out of hand."
Roethlisberger was suspended for six games by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the league's personal conduct policy. Andrea McNulty filed a civil suit against Roethlisberger and eight staff members at Harrah's hotel in Lake Tahoe in July 2009.
The lawsuit claimed that in July 2008, he sexually assaulted McNulty in his hotel room. It is also alleged that eight employees helped bury the assault. McNulty was working at Harrah's at the time of the alleged assault. The quarterback asked her to come to his room to repair his television.
Upon entering his room, McNulty asserted that he snatched her, held her against her will, shoved her on his bed, and sexually assaulted her. In January 2012, the lawsuit was resolved out of court. After a civil complaint was filed, the league took no action. Less than a year later, the former Miami (Ohio) star found himself accused of sexual assault in Georgia.
Ben Roethlisberger accused once again of sexual assault
An anonymous college student claimed that Ben Roethlisberger sexually assaulted her in a bathroom stall at a Milledgeville, Georgia nightclub. Per her police statement, she met him at a bar. Following Roethlisberger paying for drinks for the alleged victim and her friends, the quarterback's bodyguard led her into a back room. It was claimed here that Roethlisberger entered the room "with his penis out of his pants."
The victim noted in the police report that she told him to stop and tried to exit through the first door she saw, which was a bathroom. She stated that he followed her in, closed the door behind him, sexually assaulted her, and left the room. Three of her friends provided statements to the Milledgeville Police Department in support of the alleged victim's story.
In April 2010, the district attorney for Baldwin County announced that he would not pursue criminal charges against Roethlisberger.
The district attorney said:
"Based on the evidence here, we don't have enough evidence to prosecute."
The question was, did Goodell and the NFL reduce their six-game suspension against the then-Pittsburgh Steelers star?
The NFL announced their decision regarding Ben Roethlisberger
Roethlisberger's initial six-game suspension for violating the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy was later knocked down to four games. In a letter written by Goodell, he spoke about Ben Roethlisberger's conduct in Georgia and the values of the NFL.
Goodell wrote:
"There is nothing about your conduct in Milledgeville that can remotely be described as admirable, responsible, or consistent with either the values of the league or the expectations of our fans."
As everyone expected all along, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger's suspension reduced from six to four games.
Ultimately, Terry Bradshaw and many other fans didn't like the reduced suspension. Ben Roethlisberger’s sexual assault controversies will forever be attached to his name, even if he goes into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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