Rolando McClain's Alabama home burns down

[1bigfan13]

Rolando McClain loses $1.5 million home to fire

Posted by Mike Florio on December 23, 2014, 1:02 AM EST

On the football field, it’s been a great year for Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain. Off the field, 2014 is ending in a less-than-ideal way.

Via Jon Reed of AL.com, a Tuscaloosa, Alabama home owned by McClain burned down Monday night.

McClain was trying to sell the house, listing the 7,500-square-foot home for $1.5 million. The far started at roughly 6:00 p.m. local time.

After retiring twice from football, McClain landed with the Cowboys and had a strong season, filling in for Sean Lee at middle linebacker.

 

[1bigfan13]

 

[L.T. Fan]

Probably a Philly or Indy fan.

 

[boozeman]

Hopefully this was not intentional or anything.

 

[Playmaker]

Hopefully this was not intentional or anything.

That was the 1st thing that came to mind when it was mentioned he was trying to sell it.

 

[Deuce]

Who buys a million dollar house in Alabama?

 

[Landry]

Who buys a million dollar house in Alabama?

But, this one had indoor plumbing and stuff.

 

[dallen]

Does he have kids? Losing a home this close to Christmas is an especially terrible thing. When I was a kid we were at my grandparents house on Christmas Eve and the neighbors house burned down. Luckily everyone was ok, but they lost everything including all the kids Christmas presents. It turns what is supposed to be a happy time of year into a tragedy

 

[jsmith6919]

Who buys a million dollar house in Alabama?

People who spell fire "far"?

 

[Chocolate Lab]

McClain is definitely one of those "it's always something" guys Parcells warned about.

 

[Cotton]

Fire destroys Rolando McClain home
Updated: December 23, 2014, 11:11 AM ET
ESPN.com news services

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama authorities have suspicions about a fire that gutted a mansion owned by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain.

Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Lt. Andy Norris says a witness reported seeing a car speeding away from the scene of the blaze Monday night.

Norris says the vehicle could be a clue. He says it's suspicious anytime a vacant, high-priced home burns down.

Investigators are trying to determine the cause of the blaze.

No one was home and no one was hurt. But authorities say the house is likely a total loss.

The six-bedroom, five-bath house is listed on several real estate sales sites with an asking price of $1.5 million.

The 25-year-old McClain is a native of north Alabama who played at the University of Alabama.

McClain is now making an NFL comeback with the Cowboys after legal scrapes that include his conviction in July on charges including resisting arrest.

 

[mcnuttz]

I have a raging clue right now.

 

[data]

Great. Now we are going to have "No More" commercials for arson and insurance fraud.

 

[vince]

Great. Now we are going to have "No More" commercials for arson and insurance fraud.

 

[ravidubey]

Damn it McClain, why choose now to melt down?

Fricking arson. This guy couldn't have waited just one more fricking month.

 

[vince]

Damn it McClain, why choose now to melt down?

Fricking arson. This guy couldn't have waited just one more fricking month.

Am I missing something? Did someone say it was him?

 

[Cotton]

Am I missing something? Did someone say it was him?

No, ravid is projecting. Terribly so, at that.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Aarson is a product of desperation. Usually financial. Unless McClain has run up debt prior he would not be a likely candidate because his financial future is looking up. If there is evidence of heavy debt it's possible he could react desperately but a lot of financial problems can be quelled by legal means. The investigation will shake all this out.

 

[1bigfan13]

Even if it's arson it'll take months to go to trial and by then we'll be hoisting the Lombardi.

 

[ravidubey]

I really hope he wasn't behind it, but it looks like attempted insurance fraud from my perspective.

Hopefully it's a jilted ex, a Cowboy-hater, or just random violence.

Financially he's taking a bath with the house just sitting there, and if he's planning a move (say to Dallas) I could see him getting anxious and making some calls.

Again, I hope not, but...