Aaron Hernandez was arrested this morning and later charged with murder.

There’s a sad running joke among me and my friends who are fans of the NFL. During the offseason, we joke among ourselves about who would be the next player to get into some off-field trouble. It’s funny for a bit but it sadly shines a great light on a serious issue: NFL players are getting into trouble way too often.

Today’s arrest of Aaron Hernandez is another example about how the NFL offseason has become a dangerous time for the players. It isn’t injuries on the field that’s hurting players, it’s the offseason.

The problem athletes face today is the hardships of balancing fame, fortune and free time. Many of these players have never been taught how to handle all three at once. In fact, so many of these players are so inexperienced that they have leechers ready to pounce on them at any moment. That’s what sometimes gets these players in trouble. Without any idea how to handle the fame and fortune, the free time is used trying to figure out how to do it.

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