What is the best athlete that go their career ruined by off the field issues?

[SIXERS24]

Warren Wells

Before the 1971 season started, Wells' career was cut short following legal difficulties relating to his divorce and subsequent criminal charges. Following the Pro Bowl game in Los Angeles on January 24, 1971, Wells was met by police in the locker room and arrested on a warrant for a probation violation originating from his conviction in 1969 for aggravated assault (Eugene Register-Guard, Jan 25, 1971 "Warren Wells Nabbed After Tilt"). Further, according to an article in the Dallas Morning Star, dated July 7, 2016, (Flashback: DFW produces a ton of football talent, but another part of Texas is 'the pro football capital of the world') "in 1969, he was charged with rape, a charge later reduced to aggravated assault. His probation was revoked in 1970 because he was drinking in a bar, a violation further complicated when a woman stabbed him in the chest. He missed the 1971 season while serving 10 months in a California prison. The Raiders released him in 1971 and he never played football again.[9]

 

[SIXERS24]

Delaney was selected in the second round of the 1981 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.[10] United Press International named him Rookie of the Year of the American Football Conference for the 1981 NFL season after he rushed for 1,121 yards, set four club records, and averaged 80.9 yards a game.[3][8][10] Delaney's effort helped propel the Chiefs to a 9–7 record, the team's first winning season since 1973.[2][9] In his rookie season, he was selected to the Pro Bowl after setting Chiefs records for most yards in a season (1,121), most yards in a game (193 vs. Houston), most consecutive 100-yard-plus games (three) and most 100-yard games in a season (five).[3][10]

After coming off the bench to record 101 rushing yards in his initial NFL action at New England, he ran for 106 yards and registered 104 receiving yards in his first professional start against Oakland.[9] In the Chiefs' October 18, 1981 game against the Denver Broncos, Delaney broke loose for a 75-yard touchdown run, but an offside penalty caused the play to be restarted from five yards back. On the second play after the penalty, Delaney scored an 82-yard touchdown,[3][11] the longest rushing play from scrimmage in the 1981 NFL season.[1][10]

Following Delaney's record-setting 196-yard rushing performance against the Houston Oilers on November 15, 1981,[12] Oilers defensive end (and future Pro Football Hall of Famer) Elvin Bethea was quoted in saying:[9][13]

I've played against the best–O. J. Simpson, Gale Sayers, Walter Payton and (Delaney) ranks right up there with them ... He is great with a capital G.

 

[Obviously Oblivious]

Former Twins/Angels player Lyman Bostock.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bostoly01.shtml

https://www.sportscasting.com/the-m...tock-forced-changes-to-indiana-insanity-laws/

Holy crap, I do vaguely remember Lyman from my childhood during the brief time he was a Minnesota Twin, we would attend some Twins games every summer and they were my favorite team in those days. I totally lost track of him after he left Minnesota and never had heard the story of his tragic death. Reading through the account of his life, he sounds like he was a really great guy and very charitable with his money. Truly, only the good die young.

RIP Lyman Bostock.

 

[NI hawk]

Warren Wells

Before the 1971 season started, Wells' career was cut short following legal difficulties relating to his divorce and subsequent criminal charges. Following the Pro Bowl game in Los Angeles on January 24, 1971, Wells was met by police in the locker room and arrested on a warrant for a probation violation originating from his conviction in 1969 for aggravated assault (Eugene Register-Guard, Jan 25, 1971 "Warren Wells Nabbed After Tilt"). Further, according to an article in the Dallas Morning Star, dated July 7, 2016, (Flashback: DFW produces a ton of football talent, but another part of Texas is 'the pro football capital of the world') "in 1969, he was charged with rape, a charge later reduced to aggravated assault. His probation was revoked in 1970 because he was drinking in a bar, a violation further complicated when a woman stabbed him in the chest. He missed the 1971 season while serving 10 months in a California prison. The Raiders released him in 1971 and he never played football again.[9]

Remember him but not his legal issues. Remember him being really good.

 

[veryold]

The natural getting shot really screwed up his career.