The Most Controversial Athletes in Sports History

Updated August 31, 2020 14.6k votes 1.8k voters 36.0k views66 items

List RulesAthletes in any sport that have been embroiled in controversy - domestic disputes, sex scandals, cheating accusations, anything really

Sports stars are one part celebrity, one part athlete. Like so many celebrities, some sports stars are prone to scandal. These sports stars are were involved some of the biggest controversies of all time, and many remain controversial figures to this day despite being retired.

O.J Simpson is perhaps the biggest controversial athlete of all time, for "not killing his ex-wife" in 1994. Remember when one of the best NBA players of all time, LeBron James, took his talents to South Beach? That was definitely a case of a sports star who caused controversy. And then, of course, there's Anna Kournikova, who has caused controversy simply for being beautiful.

Which athletes do you think are the most controversial of all time? What is your definition of controversy? Is it off-the-field antics like the domestic drama surrounding Tiger Woods, or is it on-the-court antics like John McEnroe's famous profane meltdowns?

Which is worse, steroids or biting off someone's ear? The choice is yours! Vote up the stars who've caused the most controversy and if we missed any scandalous athletes, add them to the controversial sport stars list!

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O. J. Simpson
Age: 73
Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills
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412
126
Aaron Hernandez
Age: 31
Teams: New England Patriots, Florida Gators football
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486
206
Mike Tyson
Age: 54
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195
Lance Armstrong
Age: 49
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355
142
Tonya Harding
Age: 50
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365
171
Michael Vick
Age: 40
Teams: Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Virginia Tech Hokies football
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#20 of 119 The Greatest College Football Quarterbacks of All Time#11 of 106 The Fastest NFL Players of All Time
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Caitlyn Jenner
Age: 71
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8
331
179
Dennis Rodman
Age: 59
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks
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Barry Bonds
Age: 56
Teams: San Francisco Giants, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Pirates
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#27 of 39 Longest Hitting Streaks in Baseball#551 of 583 The Greatest Entertainers of All Time
10
293
142
Colin Kaepernick
Age: 33
Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Nevada Wolf Pack football
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Pete Rose
Age: 79
Teams: Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds, Cincinnati Reds, Montreal Expos
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Tiger Woods
Age: 45
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13
134
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John McEnroe
Age: 61
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Terrell Owens
Age: 47
Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills
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#23 of 214 The Best Wide Receivers of All Time#52 of 115 The Funniest Professional Athletes
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Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Age: 43
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119
Ray Rice
Age: 33
Teams: Baltimore Ravens, Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
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17
131
71
Jose Canseco
Age: 56
Teams: New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics
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Alex Rodriguez
Age: 45
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19
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125
Johnny Manziel
Age: 28
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#65 of 83 The Best Heisman Trophy Winners of All Time#12 of 329 The Most Obnoxious Athletes
20
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129
Ray Lewis
Age: 45
Teams: Baltimore Ravens
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#2 of 64 The Best Miami Football Players of All Time#3 of 154 The Greatest Linebackers of All Time
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132
81
Mark McGwire
Age: 57
Teams: St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics, Oakland Athletics
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#180 of 582 The Greatest Baseball Players Of All Time#83 of 708 The Best Hitters in Baseball History
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169
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Tom Brady
Age: 43
Teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, Michigan Wolverines football
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Lawrence Taylor
Age: 61
Teams: New York Giants, North Carolina Tar Heels football
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127
Kobe Bryant
Dec. at 41 (1978-2020)
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers
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Muhammad Ali
Age: 78
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