Tackling Crime: A Data-Driven Comparison of NFL Players with the General Population

This research investigates the frequency of arrests among NFL players compared to the general population and analyze the types of crimes committed. A main theme from the literature is that previous groups of NFL players were found to be arrested at a rate lower than the general population. However, there has been no analysis on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the crime rates and types. Data obtained from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, The U.S Census Bureau, an NFL arrest database, and player statistics from Pro Football Reference is used for the analysis. The data is analyzed with a rate model, change over time graphs, and hypothesis testing. The findings show that NFL players are arrested at a lower rate than the general public, with little variance in types of crimes committed.