Athletes You Won't Recognize from the Last Decade

We have seen some serious transformations to athletes in sports.

Some have gone from skinny to a little bit more beefed up—just look at someone like Anthony Davis—while others have, unfortunately, added a few more pounds than they wanted to and finally, there have been some who went from hefty to svelte, showing that they have what it takes to stay disciplined.

For those who have lost the pounds and reshaped their figures, here's to you, because your hard work and early-morning workouts are honored in this article—because fans might not recognize you from a decade ago.

JaMarcus Russell (2010 to 2013)

2010: Distinguished as one of the biggest busts in sports history, former No. 1 overall selection JaMarcus Russell has always been a big dude. When he was arrested for codeine in 2010, however, fans and media saw just how large the former Oakland Raiders quarterback had gotten.

Reaching rock bottom, Russell's playing days were in question—with his not playing in the NFL since 2009—and his personal life looked like it was spiraling out of control.

2013: Although JaMarcus Russell hadn't lined up under center in an NFL game in four years, he wasn't giving up hope of getting himself back onto an NFL roster.

With determination and will, Russell overcame the codeine hiccup and started getting back in the gym, shedding a reported 50 pounds in 2013 to attempt a comeback and going from 315 pounds to 265, which was even less than his pre-draft weight.

Unfortunately, Russell's attempt at finding a job in the NFL hasn't worked out.

Damien Woody (2009 to 2015)

2009: A former NFL offensive lineman, Damien Woody was always a big guy because of the position that he played.

As one of the better centers in the league during his 12-year playing career, Woody at one point ballooned to 388 pounds, looking more like a professional sumo wrestler than a football player.

That's when he decided to compete on the TV show The Biggest Loser.

2015: Inspired by his former New York Jets head coach, Rex Ryan—who lost a ton of weight himself—Damien Woody found himself sweating more than he ever has in his life, being pushed more than any two-a-day probably ever did.

After taking a four-month hiatus from his job as an analyst on ESPN, Woody returned looking a lot more toned than he did 120 days earlier, getting down to 314 pounds.

No one will ever confuse him for a former wide receiver, but Woody has made huge strides in tightening his figure.

Jordan Gross (2008 to 2014)

Rick Havner/Associated Press, Chuck Burton/Associated Press

2008: Much like the aforementioned Damien Woody, former Carolina Panthers offensive lineman Jordan Gross was always supposed to be a big guy.

After all, his job was to protect his quarterbacks' blindsides, and he was entrusted with being strong and wide enough to ensure no defensive player would bully him.

For 11 seasons, Gross did it pretty darned well, making three Pro Bowls and playing in a Super Bowl in his rookie year.

2014: Somewhat surprising many in the NFL by announcing his retirement at the age of 32, Jordan Gross didn't just decide that it was time to give up football, but that he was going to give up all the weight he needed in order to play it.

Rather than take millions of dollars to continue playing, Gross opted for a more flexible schedule, as he has moved into the broadcasting booth and runs hills during his time off, which has helped him go from 305 pounds to 235, making him now look dramatically different.

Barry Bonds (2006 to 2015)

KYLE ERICSON/Associated Press, Chris Pizzello/Associated Press

2006: Former big-leaguer Barry Bonds will always be associated with the BALCO investigation and being one of the main culprits in MLB's steroid era, so, naturally, the seven-time NL MVP was always buffed up.

Compact with absurd strength, Bonds became baseball's all-time home run leader in 2007 by blasting his 756th career round-tripper to pass Hank Aaron.

Although he wasn't as big as the former NFL players depicted, Bonds was like a rock when he played, making him as strong as an ox.

2015: Wait, that guy in the middle is Barry Bonds now?

This is the same guy who belted those 756 career homers and, regardless of steroids or not, will always be remembered for being one of the most talented baseball players to ever suit up, combining speed and power like some of the all-time greats.

Bonds took up cycling a couple of years ago and has shed a ton of weight in the process, no doubt under his playing weight of 240 pounds.

Matt Birk (2007 to 2013)

Nati Harnik/Associated Press, Image via Screengrab

2007: Weighing 310 pounds certainly has its benefits—especially when that person happens to be pretty talented at playing football.

That's why former NFL center Matt Birk continued to stay around that weight for 14 years, as he made six Pro Bowls and became one of the best offensive linemen in the game during his career.

Those accolades only take a person so far, though, so when Birk retired from the league before the 2013 season, he wasn't just saying goodbye to the sport that made him famous, but to those pounds that he carried around for so long, too.

2013: What is it with former NFL offensive linemen walking away from the game and deciding that losing a dramatic amount of weight is necessary?

I've already mentioned former behemoths Damien Woody and Jordan Gross, but the transformation that Matt Birk has undergone is just insanity.

Rather than stay bulky, Birk traded in the weight room and meaty meals for a diet and healthier lifestyle, discovering the company ViSalus—which challenges people to push themselves to make dramatic physical changes—and has focused on spreading the word on proper nutrition since leaving the NFL.

Oh, and he also happens to be pursuing a modeling career because of all the changes.

Ricky Hatton (2009 to 2011)

JON SUPER/Associated Press, Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

2009: The strange thing about Ricky Hatton is that he was actually a professional boxer until he announced his retirement from the sport in 2012.

Yet, a few years prior to actually walking away, Hatton looked more like the Pillsbury Doughboy than someone who was getting paid to step into the ring against a competitor, as he looked soft and untoned.

I guess when he wasn't fighting, the Brit was eating, because he didn't look too in shape.

2011: Although Ricky Hatton might not have looked like a fighter in 2009, when it was time for him to weigh-in by stepping on the scale two years later, he looked back in killer shape, flaunting muscles that most of us will never see on our bodies.

Rather than hide his figure behind loose clothing, Hatton showed that he could flip the switch whenever he wanted to get back into fighting shape, as this 2011 photo proves.

Brad Culpepper (1997 to 2012)

1997: At first glance, you wouldn't think that Brad Culpepper was a former big fella who used to take down helpless quarterbacks during his pro football days.

Tipping the scales at about 275 pounds when playing, the nine-year veteran was a massive force on the interior line through the 1990s, registering a respectable 34 career sacks during his time in the league.

2012: While Brad Culpepper might have made a name for himself in the NFL as a defensive tackle, when you look at him now, you wouldn't believe he was one of the big uglies who was battling in the trenches.

That's because Culpepper is cut up, looking more like a wide receiver than someone who was once taking down signal-callers for a living.

Beginning the transformation just eight months after leaving the gridiron, Culpepper lost about 80 pounds in that time, leaving behind the hearty meals and beginning a workout regimen that focused more on cardio than anything else.

It's no wonder he was able to compete on the TV show Survivor with his wife a few years ago.

C.C. Sabathia (2007 to 2014)

Winslow Townson/Associated Press, Kathy Willens/Associated Press

2007: Always a big guy, left-handed hurler C.C. Sabathia was an intimidating force, known as being someone who didn't look like the standard MLB pitcher.

If seen on the street, I'm not sure people who didn't know him would have ever believed he was even a pro athlete—let alone an All-Star pitcher.

Compiling a record of 117-73 in the first eight seasons of his MLB career, the extra weight that Carsten Charles carried never seemed to affect him too much.

2014: The case of New York Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia is a bit of a curious one, to say the least.

For years, Sabathia was a flame-throwing lefty who won the Cy Young Award in 2007 and earned himself a massive contract from the Yanks before the 2009 season for seven years and $161 million.

With success in the Bronx over his first five years, C.C. believed it was time to make a physical change, hoping to prolong his career by dropping about 40 pounds and showing up at Spring Training in 2014 looking a little too thin.

So why is this so curious? Well, Sabathia has again added the weight in 2015, stating that he's a lot more comfortable being a little bit bigger. We'll see if his play is best-suited for it, too.

Charles Barkley (2007 to 2015)

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press, Steve Helber/Associated Press

2007: There was a time when people doubted whether Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley could beat 67-year-old NBA referee Dick Bavetta in a foot race, with the two squaring off in a competition back in 2007—and Sir Charles barely winning.

Known as the Round Mound of Rebound during his playing days, Barkley was always a hefty force on the block, combining size and agility to become one of the better players of his era.

When he retired, though, Barkley let his weight get a bit out of control, becoming the butt of jokes.

2015: Charles Barkley might not be flashing six-pack abs or showing anyone his waistline, but he has made significant progress in dropping a bunch of weight.

No longer just squeezing into his suits and fitted shirts, Barkley has gone from 350 pounds to about 309, taking advice from his doctor that he needed to make some serious changes to avoid diabetes, a stroke or, worse, biting the big one earlier than he would like.

Changing his diet and adding exercise to his daily routine, Sir Charles became a spokesperson for Weight Watchers, proving how far he has come.

Alan Faneca (2007 to 2014)

2011: A nine-time Pro Bowl selection, six-time First-Team All-Pro and a Super Bowl champion in 13 NFL seasons, one could make a solid case for former offensive lineman Alan Faneca to one day get his own bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Dominant as a guard for a trio of teams during his tenure in the league, Faneca tipped the scales at about 320 pounds, making sure he was the beef to help protect his quarterback and create holes for his running backs.

2014: While Alan Faneca could one day end up in Canton, the guy making his speech up at the podium might confuse some when they find out he was an offensive lineman—because he is now as thin as a stick.

Following his retirement from the NFL after the 2010 season, the former guard lost a miraculous 110 pounds in just seven months, limiting himself to 1,800 calories per day and focusing on long-distance running.

When photos surfaced of Faneca sporting a medal from a marathon he ran in New Orleans in 2014, there were more than just a few double takes to make sure it was really him.