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A brief history of NFL players and coaches falling asleep in places they shouldn't

It has happened more often than you'd think.

By Jeanna Kelley

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Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

Louis Murphy must have needed a minute to get his bearings when he woke up alone and locked in a museum after Deonte Thompson's wedding.

Murphy, a wide receiver with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said he had a few drinks at the reception, which was held at the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, Fla. Then he fell asleep in the courtyard. After waking up, Murphy broke a window in order to get to a phone to call police. According to Murphy, he is working with museum staff to make sure the damage to the window is "properly handled." No charges were filed.

It makes you wonder why none of Murphy's friends thought to check on him before leaving, but all in all, it's a funny story with a harmless outcome.

Rest assured, Murphy -- you're not the only NFL player who has fallen asleep somewhere you shouldn't.

Players faking sleep in places they shouldn't be sleeping

Dallas Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey appeared to struggle to stay awake during photo day for Sunday Night Football. Instead of a smile or even a scowl, Bailey's photo made him look like he was serenely snoozing.

Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey feigned sleep in the end zone to celebrate scoring a touchdown. Bailey was fined for using the ball as a prop, a violation of league rules, but to be fair, he did need a pillow.

stedman bailey gif

Players who lost their jobs for sleeping

In 1993, Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson sent a clear message to his team about the consequences of falling asleep in the film room. Linebacker John Roper had a rude awakening when Johnson cut him from the team for sleeping through a special teams film session.

Ryan Mallett was cut by the Houston Texans last season after missing a chartered team flight. It wasn't the first time Mallett's career was adversely impacted by his sleep habits. He missed a scheduled meeting with the Carolina Panthers prior to the 2011 draft, and he missed practice once because he overslept.

Former New England Patriots running back Jonas Gray didn't immediately lose his job when he overslept and missed practice, but he didn't do himself any favors with coach Bill Belichick. Gray was coming off a career performance, rushing for 201 yards and four touchdowns against the Indianapolis Colts. He got just 20 carries for the remainder of the 2014 season and was released by New England prior to the 2015 season.

Players and coaches who have passed out at Wendy's

It's crazy that there are enough incidents to justify this specific subset.

Tyler Thigpen was charged with driving under the influence after he passed out behind the wheel in a Wendy's drive-thru lane. Officers noticed his car had not moved for 20 minutes, and when they approached, the former NFL quarterback was sound asleep in the driver's seat with his foot on the brake.

Onetime Detroit Lions assistant coach Joe Cullen doesn't even remember passing out in a Wendy's drive-thru, saying he was blackout drunk at the time. What's interesting about Cullen's specific situation is that he was also completely and entirely naked at the time of his arrest.

Players and coaches who just got really sleepy at inopportune times

We understand, Tom Cable -- the NFL Combine is a busy and hectic time for coaches.

Tom Cable zzzz

Last season, eventual Super Bowl MVP Von Miller fell asleep during Star Wars: The Force Awakens after eating some mozzarella sticks that didn't agree with him.

"The Force struck back," Miller said at the time.

Players who fell asleep behind the wheel and woke up in a retention pond

There's only one player who fits this bill, and it's Jacksonville Jaguars running back Denard Robinson. Robinson was involved in a single-vehicle accident at 4:20 a.m. on July 3, and he was awakened by police, who found Robinson and a female passenger sound asleep in a Chevy Impala that was partially submerged in a retention pond.

Robinson woke up briefly when police knocked on the passenger side window, but immediately went back to sleep. "I had to tell the driver multiple times his car was in a pond and was sinking so he needed to hurry up and get out," an officer noted in the police report.

Officers on the scene determined that Robinson was not impaired and he was not charged with a crime. More importantly, Robinson was lucky that nobody was injured in the accident.

With Robinson's accident and Murphy's overnight museum adventure last weekend, two more players joined the ranks of NFL players who picked the wrong place to fall asleep.

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