The Biggest NFL Team Disasters Ever

As difficult as it is to assemble a great team in the NFL, it's pretty easy to implode one. Selfishness, distractions, disobedience, and behind the scenes shenanigans have all conspired to sabotage more seasons than Tony Romo's on field decisions.

In light of the bullying scandal currently engulfing the Miami Dolphins, here are 10 bad behaviors that can blow up a team and the life lessons you can learn from each gridiron gaffe.

The scandal: Hazing has always existed in the NFL, but Dolphins lineman Richie Incognito allegedly took it to a new level when his graphic and racially insensitive bullying of teammate Jonathan Martin was exposed earlier this month. Incognito was suspended fake oakley sunglasses by the Dolphins shortly after the news broke, but the controversy and an investigation into what actually happened is just getting started.

The lesson: A bully's actions can hurt everyone, not just the target of harassment. A 2007 report in the Journal of Management Studies found that employees who witnessed bullying suffered secondary harm, while reporting higher levels of stress and lower levels of work satisfaction.

The scandal: Wholesale Baltimore Ravens Jerseys Some think he's a football messiah, others think he's overrated, and the New York Jets thought he could be a weapon. But all Tim Tebow turned out to be was a distraction. The Jets traded for the polarizing QB in 2012 in hopes he could push the incumbent Mark Sanchez, run the Wildcat offense, and earn the team some extra attention. They had no idea what they were in for.

"It was a nonstop, never ending distraction that other players got tired of," says ESPN New York reporter Rich Cimini, who covered the team. "It just highlighted the dysfunction of the Jets organization on so many levels."

The lesson: Distractions are productivity killers and your challenge is usually less exotic than a charismatic but ill fitting team member. Like lack of sleep. Dutch researcher Harm Veling proved that while our brains can easily combat distractions in order to complete assigned tasks, that ability is compromised when we're tired. Mentally fatigued participants in Veling's study were unable to suppress distractions, and as a result, louboutin Shoes Outlet their performance suffered. Try to get at least 7 hours. (For what it's worth, the Jets finished 6 10 last season.)

The scandal: Terrell Owens' time in Philadelphia was Wholesale Carolina Panthers Jerseys as brief as it was bewildering. In 2004, he was a critical addition to a team that reached the Super Bowl before losing to Tom Brady's Patriots. Then, things went south. The hotheaded wide receiver was suspended for jawing with then coach Andy Reid in the next training camp. Later in the season, the Eagles sent him home for good after he made disparaging comments to the media about the team and the competency of quarterback Donovan McNabb. The defending NFC champs stumbled to a losing record and missed the playoffs for the first time in six seasons.

"Well, it was a sideshow that gained extraordinary media coverage, and Owens made it his focal point to tear down the image and leadership of McNabb," says Les Bowen, longtime beat reporter for the Philadelphia Daily News. "He felt McNabb declined to help him in his quest to get his contract renegotiated. was trying to do," Bowen says. "But there were others who saw only that Owens was an incredibly dominant player, and felt the team should just put up with whatever he did, to keep alive the chance of returning to the Super Bowl."

The lesson: If your teammates can't depend on you, you've got no future. A Stevens Institute of Technology study found that team members who shared information and felt accountable for decisions they had reached together were largely able to control conflict. Huddle up before your problem gets out of hand.

The scandal: In 1998, Eddie DeBartolo, who owned the San Francisco 49ers, was convicted for failing to report extortion relating to a Louisiana casino project. That earned him a 1 year suspension from the NFL, a $1 million fine from Uncle Sam, and a decade of futility for Wholesale Atlanta Falcons Jerseys one of the NFL's most successful franchises. DeBartolo sold the team two years later.

The lesson: Power can cloud your judgment. In a 2012 study from the University of Southern California, researchers found that the more responsibility and influence people had, the more prone they were to making overconfident decisions. The most effective deciders are those who surround themselves with people who challenge their judgment, the study found.

The scandal: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell came down hard on the New Orleans Saints in 2012 after it was revealed players had received cash payments for injuring opponents. "Bountygate" saw head coach Sean Payton, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, and a number of key defensive players all earn suspensions as the Saints missed the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.

The lesson: Unethical behavior usually starts at the top. The 2005 book Managing Organizational Deviance found that leaders heavily influence the ethical decisions of their employees, including wielding control over rewards and punishments. Follow in the bigwig's footsteps with caution.