Former New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper pleaded no contest on Monday to rape charges in California and guilty to sexual assault in Arizona as part of a plea deal that will send him to federal prison for nine years.

The 39-year-old Sharper entered the plea "in his best interest," ESPN reported. His sentencing in California was scheduled to July 15.

He was expecting more than 30 years in prison if he was convicted of all the counts against him in California. The women were reportedly not present in the court on Monday but prosecutors representing them said they agreed to the plea deal.

Appearing in a Phoenix courtroom via video conference from his jail in Los Angeles, Sharper reportedly admitted to sexually assaulting a woman and attempting to attack another in Arizona two years ago.

Bleacher Report said he is also expected to enter a guilty plea in Las Vegas on Tuesday and in New Orleans next month.

According to the New Orleans Advocate, Sharper's pleas were part of a "global plea deal" which states that he will spend his prison time in federal custody then probation and "lifetime registration" as a sex offender. Federal prison is reportedly better and preferable than state prison.

The same article said his sentence is also part of an "all-encompassing settlement Sharper reached in the four states where he has been charged of drugging and raping women: Louisiana, California, Nevada and Arizona." He has to enter pleas in all these states as part of the deal.

This agreement reached by Sharper will also resolve a federal drug case in New Orleans where he is accused of conspiring with Brandon Licciardi, a former St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office deputy, to drug women to prepare them for rape. His co-accused earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge. The New Orleans Advocate said the police officer resigned from his post the day state and federal indictments came down.

Meanwhile, former New Orleans federal prosecutor Shaun Clarke told the New Orleans Advocate that the 9-year jail term "seems lenient, given the grave criminal charges he faced in four states."

"The reality of the criminal justice system, fair or not, is that if you can bring others into the net, you've got something to trade. That's just the way it is," Clarke added.

Sharper, according to Bleacher Report, played in the NFL for 14 years and made it to the Pro Bowl five times. He was also named an Associated Press All-NFL first-team selection twice and a second-team choice four times. In February 2010, Sharper also won a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints.

ESPN added that he retired in 2011 then worked as an analyst for the NFL network. All the allegations against him reportedly happened after his retirement.