12. NFL, Giants botch Josh Brown's domestic violence case

In March 2015, Brown was arrested and charged with assault following an altercation with his now ex-wife. After an investigation, the NFL suspended Brown just one game despite its personal conduct policy mandating six games barring mitigating circumstances. The case came to a climax when Brown’s journal admitting frequent abuse was made public. Brown was immediately placed on the commissioner’s exempt list and subsequently cut by the Giants. —Melissa Jacobs