[caption id="attachment_378045" align="alignleft" width="273"] (Image: Facebook)[/caption] By Cristie Leondis Lately, celebrities being involved in domestic violence cases has been a reoccurring pattern in the media. The scandal of Ray Rice, a professional American football runningback who faced indefinite suspension by the NFL, sparked what seemed like a firestorm for troubled athletes. More sports figures have faced similar scandals this week including Jeff Taylor and Adrian Peterson. Here are 10 others who were involved in significant, sometimes career-ruining scandals, and the outcome once the smoke cleared: [caption id="attachment_363257" align="alignleft" width="245"] (Image: Lakers.com)[/caption] One of the most publicized trials of all time took place when Kobe Bryant was accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in 2003. The Colorado native claimed that Bryant had raped her on June 30, 2003, at the Posh Hotel in Eagle, Colorado. Bryant is arguably one of the best basketball players in NBA history. He was married to Vanessa Laine Bryant at the time of the accusation and denied the rape happened, saying the sex was consensual. Bryant lost numerous endorsements, and the trial changed the way thousands of fans viewed him, however, years later, his popularity and reputation has been restored after winning several NBA titles. Bryant has said the Colorado trial changed and challenged him as a person and made his family stronger in the long run. Michael Vick captured the attention of America when the public became aware that he housed and trained more than 50 pit bulls, staged dogfights, killed dogs, and ran a high-stakes gambling ring. The operation was detected in 2007 while law enforcement agencies were investigating Vick's cousin, David Boddie, on drug charges. Dogs that weren't strong enough would be hung, shot, or electrocuted, according to court reports. The police discovered 54 dogs that had injuries at the site. Vick pleaded guilty and was immediately suspended from the NFL without pay. He also faced 23 months in prison, with three years supervised probation. In 2009, Vick was reinstated by the NFL, but the aftermath of his trial was explosive. Although he is now back in the NFL playing for the Philadelphia Eagles and has worked to restore his brand. [caption id="attachment_149839" align="alignleft" width="300"] (Image: File)[/caption] Three-time Olympic gold medalist and track and field superstar Marion Jones pleaded guilty to using steroids in 2007. Years before her confession, Jones had persistently denied rumors of using drugs. After her involvement in a bank-fraud scheme, prosecutors claimed to have enough evidence that they could use to persuade her to plead guilty. Jones was sentenced to six months jail time in Fort Worth, Texas. The U.S. Olympic Team once referred to her as the "world's fastest mom†after she won five Olympic medals at the 2000 Olympics. However, once released from jail, Jones never received the approval she had enjoyed before. The infamous trial of Tiger Woods made headlines across the nation when his private affairs were made public. Woods' life unraveled and his title, as the world's greatest golfer, disappeared rapidly, almost as fast as his reputation for being a loyal family man. On Nov. 27, 2009, Woods' car hit a fire hydrant and tree in his neighbor's yard, leaving him unconscious. Over the course of the following week, more than a dozen women claimed to have had affairs with Woods. On Dec. 11, Woods released a statement admitting to all the infidelities, apologizing to his fans, and claiming he would be taking an indefinite break from golf. He also agreed to attend a 45-day therapy program to treat "sex addiction. His wife divorced him in August 2010. The scandal will always be seen as one of the biggest scandals of our time. Woods would go on with his career, winning big in 2013, taking victory at The Players Championship, his fourth win of the 2013 season. He would face several injuries that would pose challenges to his rankings. Recently, reports indicate he will be opening a restaurant. Lance Armstrong, one of the top cyclists in history, faced doping allegations throughout his career. Armstrong continually denied using drugs until his interview with Oprah Winfrey in January 2013. The U.S. Anti Doping Agency had released more than 1,000 pages of evidence against Armstrong and his teammates in October. Armstrong had used erythropoietin and corticosteroids, which are man-made drugs that resemble cortisol, the stress hormone. He also used testosterone to "bulk up.†Armstrong admitted to creating false documents which stated he had passed urine tests. The drugs have a very strong correlation with his Tour de France wins. Armstrong is now facing a $120 million lawsuit in which he is fighting back and hoping to strike a deal. [caption id="attachment_381699" align="alignleft" width="217"] (Image: Biography.com)[/caption] Sammy Sosa is a retired Dominican professional baseball right fielder who is known for playing on four teams during his career, but more noticeably for his time with the Cubs. On June 16, 2009, The New York Times reported that Sosa used performance-enhancing drugs. Sosa denied using drugs and did not go to trial. While Sosa managed to avoid facing legal action, he was not elected by the Baseball Writers Association of America into the Baseball Hall of Fame, which he became eligible for and was expected to be inducted into. [caption id="attachment_273537" align="alignleft" width="300"] (Image: File)[/caption] Alex Rodriguez's steroid scandal was a huge topic of discussion when he was banned from the MLB's 2014 season. Arguably the best baseball player of his generation and highest home-run hitter of all time, the New York Yankees player was the center of a high-profile doping scandal in 2013. Rodriguez was dealt a 162-game suspension. [caption id="attachment_148135" align="alignleft" width="300"] (Image: File)[/caption] NFL wide receiver Plaxio Burress is known for his New York Giants Super Bowl-winning touchdown in 2008, but he is also known for a much bigger incident. Burress was involved in a public shooting scandal in November 2008, where he was walking upstairs in a New York City nightclub, missed a step and accidentally shot himself in the right thigh. In court, he was convicted and spent two years in prison. Burress was later signed then dropped by the Jets and eventually signed by the Steelers. While his reputation is still intact for being a great wide receiver and football player, he will also be known as that football player who infamously shot himself. Ray Lewis played for the Ravens for his entire 17-year career in the NFL. He is regarded as one of the greatest to ever play middle linebacker, and perhaps the greatest Baltimore Ravens player of all time. However, Lewis was also involved in a high-profile murder trial. Following Super Bowl XXXIV, Lewis attended a party in Atlanta on Jan. 31, 2000. A fight broke out and ended with the death of two people. The suit Lewis wore the night of the killings has never been found. Lewis was indicted on murder and aggravated-assault charges. Two weeks into the trial, Lewis negotiated a plea deal and the murder charges were dropped. He was given a misdemeanor charge, 12 months probation, and he was fined $250,000 by the NFL, the highest fine ever against an NFL player for a charge not involving drugs. Astoundingly, he was able to carry on his legacy and reputation as a leader. Rae Carruth, former NFL player and wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers, was found guilty of conspiring to murder a woman pregnant with his child in 2001. Carruth is expected to be released from prison in 2018. He was a first-round draft pick in the 1997 NFL draft, and was signed by the Panthers with a four-year $3.7 million deal.