10 Athletes We Wish Didn’t Try Another Sport
Most professional athletes grow up starring in multiple sports throughout high school.
So it only makes sense that when they get tired of dominating their current sport, they start thinking about pursuing another game.
Does it always work out?
Hell no! In fact, most athletes who cross over into another sport fall flat on their face.
That said, here are 10 athletes who sucked when they took up a second sport.
1. Michael Jordan, Baseball
After winning his third-consecutive NBA championship in 1993, Michael Jordan announced his retirement from basketball.
Conspiracy theorists believe that it was a secret gambling suspension by the NBA. Whatever the case may be, no punishment could’ve been worse than Jordan’s baseball play.
It’s little surprise that the Chicago White Sox took advantage of the publicity by signing Jordan to their Double-A team, the Birmingham Barons.
But they obviously didn’t sign him for his baseball talents, as he hit .202 with 114 strikeouts and 11 errors. Jordan returned to the NBA in 1995 and would win three more championships from 1996-98.
2. Jose Canseco, MMA
Teamed up with fellow slugger Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco hit 30 or more homers in three straight seasons with the Oakland A’s. But unlike McGwuire, Canseco didn’t have the sense to avoid trying another sport.
In this case, the juiced-up Canseco pursued mixed martial arts, which has a beating in store for anybody who sucks. This was sadly the case with Canseco, who lasted just 1:17 against 7’2″ Choi Hong-Man in 2009.
3. Tim Tebow, Baseball
The jury on Tim Tebow’s baseball career is still out. But it hasn’t been pretty so far.
A former Heisman Trophy winner and Denver Broncos quarterback, Tebow invited all 30 Major League teams to his open tryout in August 2016.
After a few offers, Tebow accepted an invitation from the New York Mets minor league system. After hitting a home run in his first at-bat, Tebow has since gone just 6 for 41 at the plate.
4. Jerry Rice, Golf
Nobody could catch a football like Jerry Rice. He tallied a record 22,895 receiving yards over his career – almost 7,000 more than the next-closest player, Terrell Owens (15,934).
Sadly, Rice tried turning his golf hobby into his next career after retiring from the NFL. He played in the 2010 Fresh Express Classic at TPC Stonebrae on the Nationwide Tour through a sponsor’s exemption. He finished 151st out of 152 players.
He played one more event, shooting 92 in the first round – a record-worst for a Nationwide Tour tournament – and was disqualified on Day 2 after his caddie was caught using a yardage scoop.
5. Terrell Owens, Basketball
Speaking of Owns, he also makes the list for his pursuit of basketball. Second all-time in NFL receiving yards, Owens was a duel sport athlete at Tennessee-Chattanooga. The only thing is, he averaged just 1.5 points per game as a 6’3″ guard-forward.
Not exactly the kind of stats that get you to the NBA, but that didn’t stop Owens from flirting with pro basketball for a while.
He had some highlights, including winning the MVP award in the NBA All-Star celebrity game. But when Owens expressed interest in playing for the Clippers, only crickets were heard.
6. Brock Lesnar
While pro wrestler Brock Lesnar had a solid MMA career, winning the UFC Heavyweight title at one point, he also had a forgettable tryout with the Minnesota Vikings.
Based purely on his 2004 NFL Combine stats, Lesnar looked like a promising talent. He ran the forty in 4.65 seconds, benched pressed 225 pounds 30 times, and had a 35-inch vertical leap – all very strong for a lineman.
But after several preseason games, Lesnar couldn’t show enough to the Vikings to make him worth keeping.
7. Johnnie Morton, MMA
After a 12-year NFL career that saw him tally 8,719 receiving yards and 43 touchdowns, Johnnie Morton decided to pursue MMA. The result was an absolute disaster for two reasons.
One, he lasted just 38 seconds before getting knocked out cold at K-1 Dynamite!! USA 2007. Second, he tested positive for steroids after the loss.
8. Justin Gatlin, NFL
After receiving a four-year ban for a doping violation, Olympic gold medalist Justin Gatlin spent his suspension pursuing football.
A champion 100-meter runner, Gatlin’s speed translated well onto the football field. Unfortunately, he was missing the rest of the necessary skills, having not played football since 10th grade.
The closest he ever got to the NFL was a 2007 rookie camp tryout with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gatlin would blame getting cut on being viewed a “track guy.”
9. Manute Bol, Hockey
To be fair, former NBA center Manute Bol didn’t really attempt a hockey career. But he did sign a one-day contract with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) to help raise money for Sudanese charities.
At 7’6″, Bol never looked like the most-coordinated basketball player. It was all the more painful to watch him on skates.
10. Warren Sapp, Swimming
Here’s another example of someone not pursuing a sport, but looking pretty bad while doing it for fun.
Former NFL defensive lineman Warren Sapp got a half-pool head-start on Michael Phelps and still couldn’t turn it into a win.