As the helicopters hovered over Aaron Hernandez and another media stakeout camps on another football player's curb, it should be obvious that such scenes are going to be a constant companion of the NFL. The Pacman Jones and Tank Johnson and Michael Vick and Jovan Belcher stories will continue to repeat themselves because the game has become too high profile. Players are more famous, they feel bulletproof, old associates don't go away and new trouble attaches itself to new fame.

The most popular league in the country has a problem many of its own players don't know how to handle: How do you steer yourself away from the things that can take you down?
— Les Carpenter

(Statistics compiled by U-T San Diego and Business Insider)

Photos: NFL players in trouble during Godell era | Photos: Hernandez arrested and in custody | Watch: Hernandez release 'right call' for Patriots