This is what a lot of them will end up like
Michael Richardson, the former All-Pro cornerback who won the Super Bowl with the legendary 1985 Chicago Bears, has reportedly been arrested on a murder charge in Phoenix.
According to ABC affiliate KNXV-TV, Richardson was arrested Wednesday in connection with the death of 47-year-old Ronald Like.
Like was found shot at an intersection Tuesday morning and rushed to the hospital in critical condition, where he later died. The Arizona Republic reported that the police began treating the shooting as a murder shortly after Like’s death.
Richardson, 59, was part of the famous 1985 Bears and sang a verse in the “Super Bowl Shuffle” video. Before being drafted by the Bears in 1983, he played for Arizona State, where he was recognized as an All-American in 1981 and 1982. He played for the Bears through the 1988 season, then suited up for the San Francisco 49ers in 1989 before his NFL career ended.
This is not the first time Richardson has been in trouble with the law. KNXV reported that Phoenix police arrested him twice in 2020 on accusations of drug possession, and he was arrested in Maricopa County in 2018 on suspected theft and possession of crack, cocaine, heroin and meth. According to multiple reports, Richardson had been convicted of at least 20 crimes by 2008.
In 2010, ESPN reported that Richardson was released from custody and had a 13-year prison sentence cut by more than 10 years after a California appellate court determined he did not violate terms of his probation in a 2008 conviction for selling narcotics.
The incident led to Richardson’s 21st conviction on drug-related charges at the time — and his fifth felony in 16 years, ESPN reported.
According to the Arizona Republic, Richardson was arrested on charges of murder, misconduct involving weapons and a felony warrant. He has not yet been in front of a judge for his initial appearance.