National Football League

Darren Sharper's former teammates shocked by rape case

Published Apr. 15, 2014 2:55 p.m. ET

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Sid Saraf

Darren Sharper was once known as a 14-year NFL veteran who was a perennial All-Pro and even won a Super Bowl. Now, he's a man at the center of a disturbing investigation.

Sharper has been charged with drugging and raping two women in Los Angeles and is the focus of other rape investigations in Arizona, Louisiana and Nevada. The former safety is now sitting in an LA jail and is being held without bail while he awaits trial.

For some of Sharper's former teammates and coaches, what has transpired is shocking, to say the least.

"I never, ever could have imagined seeing what has allegedly happened with Darren Sharper," said Troy Williams, who also was a teammate of Sharper with the Packers. "I never would have seen this coming. It's mind-boggling."

Another ex-Packers teammate, LeRoy Butler, knew Sharper as one of his "best friends."

"This guy was like the chivalry days where you'd lay down a jacket so they could walk over the puddle," Butler said. "He was always very respectful. All my kids liked him, and I have four daughters. They thought very highly of him ...

Those who coached him are equally flabbergasted. Kurt Schottenheimer was Sharper's defensive backs coach in Green Bay and spoke to the latter's agreeable nature.

"It was easy to have a really good relationship with him."

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