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NFL bust Ryan Leaf's legal woes continue. Here's what golf had to do with it

September 10, 2014

While Peyton Manning is the NFL's reigning MVP and in the midst of a five-year, $96-million contract, the man who was almost picked ahead of him in the 1998 draft just got sentenced to five more years in jail. Perhaps, you're familiar with the struggles of Ryan Leaf, but you might not have realized what his legal problems have to do with golf.

Leaf's latest sentence stemmed from him violating his Texas probation when he pleaded guilty to felony burglary and criminal possession of a dangerous drug in Montana in 2012. At the time, Leaf was already on probation for burglarizing a West Texas A&M football player's home to obtain pain pills in 2008. Leaf, who played just four seasons as a pro and is arguably the biggest draft bust in NFL history, was an assistant football and golf coach for the school at the time.

But the golf connection doesn't end there. When cops searched Leaf's truck in 2012, they discovered two pill containers -- one of which had another person's name on the prescription label -- in his golf bag.

Leaf originally denied knowledge of the containers. He later used golf as an alibi, saying the other person -- an acquaintance -- had left the pills in his bag after the two had played a round of golf together. The acquaintance said they hadn't played golf together and Leaf was charged with breaking into the man's home to steal the pills.

The good news for Leaf is that he probably won't serve any more jail time -- for now. The Texas judge who handed down his latest sentence gave him credit for the time (approximately 27 months) he served for his crimes in Montana.