I came across an article the other day about Tampa Bay Buccaneer Jerramy Stevens. My God, does Stevens make Pac Man Jones look like a choir boy or what?

Since Roger Goodell took over as NFL Commissioner, he has made it clear that players must have high character to play in the NFL. Goodell has been tough on Pac Man Jones while other players seem to have gotten away with a slap on the wrist. If good character is a requirement for playing in the NFL, Jerramy Stevens should never be allowed to take a snap again.

I never liked Stevens much as an NFL player. I always felt he was a great college player who just never could reach his potential. Every time I watched a Seahawk game the guy would drop multiple passes, some in the end-zone. I had no interest in the Seahawks, but even as an ambivalent viewer he started to annoy me with his play. After reading this piece in the Seattle Times on Stevens, his play on the field is probably the last reason not to like him.

Stevens was accused of rape in college. He wasn’t charged but did wind up settling a civil-suit a few years later. Reading about the details of the rape and other Stevens’ escapades in college, you just know off of the bat that this guy is a bad human being.

Take the rape out of the equation and we could go back further to high school, where he admitted to stomping on a boy’s face that had just been beaten with a baseball bat. How does a guy like this get an NCAA scholarship? Just give him another chance, well according to his teachers and coaches.

Even taking the rape accusations and the numerous incidents he had in high school out of the equation, there is the driving. This guy has a problem and I am not talking about dropping passes. Stevens got away with multiple DUI arrests and spent very little time in jail. Several times, including hitting a man with his 10-year old daughter in the car Stevens recklessly crashed his car under the influence and drove away. Give Jerramy another chance, he is really a good guy right?

Stevens last DUI of record was in March 2007 in Arizona, during the time when he was playing the free agent game. Even then, Seattle coach Mike Holmgren vouched for Stevens during the free agent game. How tough was the NFL on him following this DUI? Stevens was suspended for one game from the NFL. We are talking about one game for a guy that has had multiple chances and opportunities, yet has thumbed his nose at all of them.

Pac Man Jones has turned into a punch line on all of the NFL broadcasts. Not taking anything away from Pac Man’s actions, but Stevens did settle a civil suit which stemmed from rape accusations. Yet, I rarely ever hear anyone speak about ridding the NFL of this scumbag. Chris Henry, Pac Man Jones and Tank Johnson are labeled as bad guys while Stevens is rarely mentioned for anything other than his play. Keep in mind that while the Atlanta Falcons claimed they knew nothing of Michael Vick’s dog fighting activities, the Seahawks and the Buccaneers were well aware of Stevens’ record before they acquired him.

“Sometimes, you have to give people a chance.” said Bruce Allen, General Manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.