Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert
NFL rookies spent part of last week at the annual rookie symposium, where the league does its best to present the realities of playing professional football. One lesson all rookies should learn is how short their careers can be.
It's a message that Darrion Scott could certainly address.
Scott was the Minnesota Vikings' third-round draft choice in 2004 and was starting at defensive end by the end of his rookie season. Injuries to other players kept him a starter for most of the next two seasons, and in 2006 Scott led the Vikings with 5.5 sacks. The team approached him about signing a long-term contract after the season, but as a restricted free agent he decided to play 2007 on a one-year tender and test the free agent market in 2008.
That's when this story goes south. Scott broke his foot during practice prior to the Vikings' fifth game and was placed on injured reserve. While recovering, he was cited for marijuana possession in Charleston, W.Va.
Then, on Monday, Scott pleaded guilty to child endangerment in a Minnesota court, a gross misdemeanor. During the proceeding, he admitted to placing a plastic bag over the head of his two-year-old son in April. Scott told the court he was playing with his son when the bag inadvertently got caught on the boy's chin.
Scott is unlikely to face jail time as part of the agreement, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune report. But it's fair to say Scott will face an uphill battle to resuming his NFL career, at least anytime soon.
Some of Scott's troubles were within his control, and others he could have done nothing about. But if you're looking for how issues other than on-field performance can endanger or scuttle an NFL career, Scott would be a prime example.
