Dirtiest players in the NFL for 2016

Up until Week 15 of the NFL season, Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. never would have made this list. But in the Giants' matchup that week against the Carolina Panthers, Beckham Jr. completely lost his mind. Frustrated by the defense of Panthers cornerback Josh Norman, Beckham Jr. threw punches and launched his helmet at Norman’s head after a play. For his actions, Beckham Jr. was suspended one game by the NFL, a suspension that cost many fantasy football players.

While his play on the field is far from dirty, cheating sure is. After the Deflategate scandal, it’s impossible to look at quarterback Tom Brady as player who isn’t willing to go the extra mile to gain whatever advantage he can over his opponents, even illegally.

Saints cornerback Brandon Browner was the king of the yellow flag in 2015. Amazingly, he was called for 21 penalties over the course of the season, including: 11 defensive holdings, three unnecessary roughness calls and three face masks. With all of those penalties, Browner is easily one of the dirtiest players in the NFL, and the zebras are well aware of it.

Long before the Wild Card implosion against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict was considered a dirty player. After completely losing his cool and destroying Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown with a vicious hit, he cemented himself as one the NFL’s dirtiest players. Burfict has been suspended for the first three games of the 2016 NFL season for his actions.

Jaguars defensive end Chris Clemons has repeatedly been fined by the NFL for late and illegal hits. Now on his sixth team, it seems Clemons' act is becoming a tired one for NFL teams.

If you break your starting quarterback’s jaw in a locker-room brawl, you just might be a dirty player. This is exactly the case for Bills linebacker IK Enemkpali. Enemkpali broke quarterback Geno Smith’s jaw back when he was a member of the New York Jets in 2015. The Jets cut him soon after the incident.

Rams defensive tackle Nick Fairley has been fined in excess of $60,000 over the course of his NFL career for illegal plays. It seems playing beside Ndamukong Suh during his days with the Detroit Lions rubbed off on Fairley.

The Dallas Cowboys offensive line is universally praised as one of the best in the NFL. However, if there is one weak link on the Cowboys line, it’s right tackle Doug Free. Free led Dallas with nine penalties called against him in 2015.

Redskins safety Dashon Goldson might not be a household name, but in circles around the NFL, he has a reputation as a head hunter. Goldson has been fined multiple times over his career for helmet-to-helmet collisions with defenseless players. In fact, while playing for the Buccaneers in 2013, he was suspended one game for a helmet-to-helmet hit on then-Saints running back Darren Sproles. The suspension was later reduced to a $100,000 fine.

One of the most intimidating defenders in the NFL, Steelers linebacker James Harrison has repeatedly been fined for endangering opponents on the field. What makes matter worse it that Harrison seems to think is style of play of just fine and dandy. Perhaps Colt McCoy feels otherwise.

Buffalo Bills pass rusher Jerry Hughes finished the season second overall in total penalties with 14 against him. Those penalties included two unnecessary roughness calls, two unsportsmanlike conducts and one roughing of the passer.

Prior to the 2013 season, few NFL fans even knew who Miami Dolphins guard Richie Incognito was. Then, midway through the season, Incognito was accused of harassing and bullying by his then-teammate Jonathan Martin. An independent investigation by attorney Ted Wells revealed that Incognito regularly taunted Martin and other Dolphins employees with racial slugs and vulgar comments. Incognito just completed his first season with the Buffalo Bills.

Eagles tackle Lane Johnson led Philadelphia with 11 penalties called against him in 2015. Although most of those penalties were false starts, Johnson will need to clean up his play if he wants to remain as Philadelphia's top young lineman.

He might not go by the nickname anymore, but the Bengals' Wild Card playoff game against the Steelers proved “Pacman” is still alive and well. Adam Jones was called for a late unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that basically gave the game away to the Steelers. Additionally, Jones said after the game that concussed Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown was faking his injury. He also smashed Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper's head against the ground earlier in the season. Jones is far from a class act.

Another Bengals player who can’t seem to play a clean game is cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick actually led the Bengals in penalties with 13, with calls ranging from pass interference to taunting the opposition.

Although he hasn’t made as much noise this season, Packers linebacker Clay Matthews seems to care very little for the safety of his opponents on the field. He has also been accused of taking banned substances in the past to improve his on-field performance.

Broncos linebacker Von Miller is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL, as well as one of its most unclean players. Miller was suspended six games by the NFL for attempting to cheat on a drug test in 2013 and has been fined over $20,000 for illegal hits. Fortunately for the Broncos, Miller didn’t draw any negative headlines during the 2015 season.

New York Giants safety Brandon Meriweather is another player who has earned the reputation of a head hunter. He has repeatedly endangered opposing players, himself and even his teammates with his reckless play, as he's been fined, suspended and publicly stated  he would rather hit opposing players in the head area rather than in their lower extremities.

The second overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft, Rams offensive tackle Greg Robinson has serious trouble playing a clean game at the line. Robinson was called for 13 penalties in 2015, including a league-high 11 offensive holds.

The self-proclaimed best corner in the game, Richard Sherman’s play on the field isn’t dirty so much as his attitude is. Sherman is one of the most hated players in the NFL and is never afraid to talk trash and get into his opponents’ heads.

Skill position players usually aren’t considered dirty, but Steve Smith Sr. is an exception. No one denies the Ravens wide receiver has had an amazing career, but it also can’t be denied that Smith Sr. loves talking trash and has been flagged many a time for taunting and unnecessary roughness. Smith Sr. is currently on the mend from an Achilles injury that prematurely ended his 2015 campaign.

Ndamukong Suh is one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL but also its most hated. Suh has garnered a reputation over the past few seasons as a dirty player, as he has been suspended twice and fined over $420,000 for repeated player safety violations. Now with the Miami Dolphins, Suh is constantly one of the most vilified players in the NFL.

Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib was suspended one game earlier this season for poking an opposing player in eye. Hardly a classy move from one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL.

Steelers guard Cody Wallace has become one of the most disliked offensive lineman in the NFL, and for good reason. Along with committing 12 penalties over the course of the season, Wallace went head hunting against the Broncos in Week 15. He recklessly launched himself at Broncos defender David Bruton after a play was over, injuring Bruton.

A hard-hitting safety, T.J. Ward of the Broncos sometimes gets a little too carried away on the field. He was called for seven penalties in 2014, including two unnecessary roughness calls. Ward was also ejected from a game and fined $10,000 earlier in the season for throwing a punch at an opponent.