10 NFL offseason headlines no fan wants to see

Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Dante Fowler Jr. (Florida) poses for a photo with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number third overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

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May 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a helmet and NFL shield logo before the start of the 2014 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

The NFL has the longest off season in professional sports, which leaves an extra long times for disaster to befall teams and players.

The National Hockey League has one of the shortest offseasons in professional sports, while the National Football League is at the opposite end of the spectrum. After the Super Bowl in early February, there is over a six-month wait before the regular season begins in September.

During the NFL’s 215-day offseason, players recuperate and train while their teams attempt to fortify position groups, make changes on the coaching staff, and prepare for the regular season. Most teams pick up a few intriguing players in the draft, and do enough salary-cap magic to retain key athletes.

For some teams, the offseason can be phenomenally productive. Four members of the Steelers 1974 draft class, for example, went on to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 1993 the Green Bay Packers signed Reggie White in what turned out to be one of the best free-agent deals in NFL history.

Fans hold out hope that their team’s offseason will be transformative in a positive way. Sometimes, however, unexpected disaster can strike. Let’s take a look at ten headlines that no fan wants to read during the of season, an unfortunate mix of bad judgement, fluke injuries, and team-level catastrophes.

Next: 10. Dante Fowler tears ACL

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