What is the best athlete that go their career ruined by off the field issues?
- Thread starter HawkeyeInCentralIowa
- Start date
It's already page 3 and I can't think of any obvious misses here, but I'll throw one out for sale of discussion: former Iowa RB Marcus Coker. He was wrapped up in a sexual assault investigation, but was never actually charged with anything or even kicked out of school. From what I recall he basically got MeToo'd before it existed by an overzealous president at the University in the wake of some other legitimate events. Maybe he was just lucky and got off, but all rumor suggested he had absolutely nothing to do with what may or may not have happened.
He left under his own accord and went the FCS route. Eventually went on to have a dynamite senior season that made him somewhat of a small school prom prospect, but then broke his leg in a motorcycle accident.
I thought he was going to be outstanding at Iowa. A stand up north-south back with good speed to match and always seemed to fall forward for extra yards. He had a huge freshman year during a stretch of really good running backs at Iowa. Always felt that if he really did get a bum deal at the school, then it cost him an NFL career. Then when he had a shot at redemption, he broke his leg.
Honorable mention since I'm on a Hawkeye player, but Kyle 'bonecrusher' Williams. One of the highest rated recruits in the Ferentz era but had continuous legal issues. I think he's still in prison actually.
He left under his own accord and went the FCS route. Eventually went on to have a dynamite senior season that made him somewhat of a small school prom prospect, but then broke his leg in a motorcycle accident.
I thought he was going to be outstanding at Iowa. A stand up north-south back with good speed to match and always seemed to fall forward for extra yards. He had a huge freshman year during a stretch of really good running backs at Iowa. Always felt that if he really did get a bum deal at the school, then it cost him an NFL career. Then when he had a shot at redemption, he broke his leg.
Honorable mention since I'm on a Hawkeye player, but Kyle 'bonecrusher' Williams. One of the highest rated recruits in the Ferentz era but had continuous legal issues. I think he's still in prison actually.
Could have won at least one super bowl....
But the dogs....those damn dogs....
You are just jealous.
Getting murdered isn’t an off the field issue.
I admittedly didn't read through all the other responses. I'm sure there are a lot of good ones
My vote is for Roy Tarpley. He had one 6th man of the year award, but I really think he had HOF talent, but he got derailed by drugs and partying. He's my favorite basketball player of all time.
My favorite baseball player. I've got all kinds of his cards and memorabilia.
Nile's next great opponent was more likely to be John F Kennedy than Norm Van Brocklin.
Obligatory mention of how my soccer coaching mentor coached him in a 7th and 8th grade soccer team back when he was a kid in Cedar Rapids. Never was a discipline problem. Just not much of a stable home life.
That was my first thought, and you are correct. No doubt would have been a stud those remaining years for the Hawkeyes, then Sooners, had he been able to keep his head on straight. Crazy athletic. Set all sorts of records when he finally landed at Morningside. Thanks for the Orange Bowl win, Brandon.
Me too. I always picked #18 for my jersey number as a kid. I probably had over 100 cards of him and Doc Gooden.
Exactly the first name that popped into my head. While I believe injury ultimately got him, all the other off the field stuff had him destined to burn out long before his time. This 30 for 30 is one of the all time best as well, IMHO
One I haven’t seen listed yet, Jay Williams. NCAA POY, 2nd overall draft pick, NBA all-rookie 2nd team, one season in the NBA before his motorcycle accident. He really set the Bulls rebuild back big time with his stupidity. They were forced to take a PG in the draft at #7 after his accident and ended up with Kirk Hinrich. Now, that draft class was pretty bad after #6, so who knows who they take. But they likely end up with someone that helps create a more rounded team rather than a fill-in for a guy that was supposed to be a starter for the next decade. They needed a SG pretty bad and the best one in the draft after Wade was Korver at #51 who was not going to be a top 10 pick and Hinrich turned out to be a pretty good, but not great, player.
Kaepernick made a decision not to play quarterback in the NFL anymore. He could be on an NFL roster right now if he wanted to. He decided he would rather focus his time and attention on social issues and representing Nike. The whole "blacklisted" charade is just a tool to help him stay relevant and sell more shoes.
What? Winston’s career was not derailed by off field stuff. It was by Tom Brady and 30 ints
Another one I am not sure I saw mentioned is Jamarcus Russell. The 2007 Number 1 pick was college footballs best QB who had won a natty for LSU. Had a cannon and could run yet was also a big dude. He decided to stop working hard at football and instead get big and fat, along with addicted to codeine syrup. Total waste.
I absolutely hate golf and barely consider it a sport as there's no defense. It's just recreation like bowling and darts. But Tiger Woods was at the absolute top of that game and still would be but for his many off field issues.
FSU had a number of big name, overall number 1 offensive player or overall number 1 QB/WR/RB/DT who have come in and accomplished nothing due to off field issues. The ones that most standout to me are Overall Number 1 Player Marquette Smith a RB who did nothing for us due to injuries and alleged drug use who went to UCF and did make it to the NFL but bombed out there as well. Consensus top 5 Overall Player Fred Rouse who did nothing anywhere due to drugs, alcohol and ton of other off-field issues including just generally being an @$$. Consensus Top 2 Defensive Tackle Callaghan Bright ate himself and failed to go to classes resulting in a meandering career that ended at some meaningless Div 2 school. And of course Randy Moss who was ranked as one of the Top 50 High School Players of ALL TIME and was the Consensus #1 WR and he did nothing at both Notre Dame and FSU due to constant runins with the law. Only once he got to Marshall which was a Div 1AA school at the time did he get his act together.
I think he’d have 20+ majors, but his body was starting to break down before Elin 8-ironed him. But still, point stands. He would be the unquestioned GOAT instead of an arguable GOAT.
As far as golfers, Steve Elkington was a fantastic player that couldn’t beat migraines. And Anthony Kim’s disappearing act will always mystify me.
Johnny Football could have been the greatest college QB of all-time had he kept his nose clean.
Billy Football sucked.
