The Scariest Enforcers of the 2000s

I don't know about you, but when I think about the word "enforcer," the first thing I envision is someone who shouldn't be messed with.

That's not to say that all enforcers are hitmen whose sole purpose is to beat up on their opposition, but it does mean that, to be one, an athlete must be intimidating as all hell.

And back in the 2000s, sports fans were rewarded with a lot of guys who fit the profile.

Who were the scariest enforcers, though? I've gone back in time to give you the answer.

Brian Dawkins

Like others you'll see on this list, former NFL safety Brian Dawkins played as if he was a missile who was shot out of a cannon before each play. He blended high speed and athleticism in the defensive backfield.

And it was at the mercy of opposing players, as Dawkins earned the rep as one of the biggest hitters during his time in the league.

With an enforcer mentality that helped him reach nine Pro Bowls in his 16 seasons and become one of the best safeties of his era, it's no wonder players who have come after Dawkins mention him as a mentor.

Pedro Martinez

Although former MLB pitcher Pedro Martinez was slight in size at 5'11", 170 pounds, he used intensity, competitiveness and wicked skill to become one of the biggest enforcers in baseball.

With the ability to locate the ball anywhere he wanted to, Martinez loved being the instigator who got under opposing batters' skin, tossing a fastball up and in on one pitch and then making them look foolish by forcing them to whiff the next.

For that reason, Martinez proved that he had the ego and ferocity to question whoever was going up against him.

Rodney Harrison

As anyone can tell in this video, former All-Pro safety Rodney Harrison didn't give a damn who came across the middle of the field. He was going to lay the wood on them—even if it was Jerry Rice, widely considered the best player in NFL history.

That's because Harrison played with a mean streak like few other players in the league had. He was often criticized for being an outlaw due to his hard hits on unprotected receivers.

Still, it didn't bother him one bit, as he relished his role as an enforcer every time he stepped onto the playing field.

Chris Pronger

While no one has ever questioned the skill set of former NHL defenseman Chris Pronger—after all, he did win a Hart Trophy as the league's MVP following the 1999-00 season—one might question his motivation as an enforcer.

A massive force on the defensive line for 18 seasons for a variety of teams, the 6'6" Pronger had no shame in making his presence known whenever he came in contact with an opposing player.

While he didn't necessarily rack up the penalty minutes like other hockey players you'll see on this list, he still played nasty, making sure he threw his weight around early and often.

Sean Taylor

Thanks to the rare combination of cornerback speed and linebacker bulk, late Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor was always one of the most feared players on a football field.

On top of the numerous bone-crushing hits he had on opposing skill players throughout his career, he had that moment during the Pro Bowl where he just decked a poor punter during a fake punt.

When one of the hardest hitters in recent memory does it to a skinny little punter, you know the guy bringing the boom loves his role as an enforcer.

James Harrison

Maybe it's just because I'm a huge wuss, but does Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison scare the crap out of you too?

With a blacked-out facemask and the mentality of a lethal weapon, Harrison remains one bad dude.

Known for his hard hits on opposing players, the linebacker has found himself in hot water a ton of times in the past for his aggressiveness and tough play.

The scariest part about him, though? He honestly doesn't even care, as he has continued to do it because, well, he's a legit enforcer out there.

Matthew Barnaby

Ranking No. 18 in the league in all-time penalty minutes, former right winger Matthew Barnaby was one of the toughest players to ever suit up in the NHL.

Never one to back down from a fight, he never scored more than 19 goals in a season but relentlessly harassed opposing players with his physicality and aggressiveness, coming to the defense of his teammates when necessary.

One of the biggest instigators the league has ever seen, Barnaby relished his role as an enforcer.

Rasheed Wallace

GREG WAHL-STEPHENS/Associated Press

During his 16 years in the NBA, former big man Rasheed Wallace proved to be quite the talent—and a serious headcase, too.

This is the same guy who once got tossed from a game in the Western Conference Finals for just staring at a referee, hoping to intimidate him in the process.

Sheed was also involved in a few other instances of hard fouls and physical altercations that showed he wasn't about to back down from anyone he went up against.

He wasn't exactly dirty, but he wasn't exactly squeaky clean either, racking up technical fouls for arguing calls and pushing around other players.

A.J. Pierzynski

Once voted as the meanest player in the league by his peers, current St. Louis Cardinals catcher A.J. Pierzynski has been known to never back down from anything.

A guy with a serious intensity, he has gotten in fights with opposing players and guys on his own team, which proves that he likes to be the one laying the wood.

Most fans know that a baseball team follows the lead of its catcher, and his teams have done just that, taking on his blue-collar and nasty attitude.

Mark van Bommel

Few guys have been known to play with the fiery spirit that former Dutch national team midfielder Mark van Bommel did.

That's because he was both an enforcer and basically just a dirty player.

Known for his hard tackles on opposing players, van Bommel even exited the final game in his career by being sent off by a red card, which showed that he didn't care what type of moment it was—he wasn't going to tune his act down.

Shawne Merriman

One of the most lethal players in the NFL when he first entered the league back in 2005, former linebacker Shawne Merriman lit up his opponents by sending a message each time he tackled them to the ground.

Registering 39.5 sacks in his first three seasons, the man known as Lights Out was the league's Defensive Rookie of the Year and earned three Pro Bowl trips before injuries got the best of him.

Intense and passionate, he used crazy energy on the gridiron to impose his will.

With that type of mentality, it's probably no surprise to hear that Merriman just recently inked a deal with the WWE to pursue a wrestling career.

Tie Domi

One of the craziest men to ever put on a pair of skates, former NHL right wing Tie Domi embodied everything being an enforcer. He tallied 3,515 career penalty minutes during his 16-year career, which places him third on the all-time list in that category.

It doesn't matter what it was that riled him up; if he felt like he could beat someone to a pulp, he would, even getting into it with a fan while sitting in the sin bin.

On or off the ice, I wouldn't want to mess with Domi.

Ray Lewis

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

There's absolutely no denying that former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis was one of the most dynamic defensive players in NFL history.

You know what else fans—and opposing players can't lie about? How freaking scary No. 52 was in the middle of the Ravens defense for 17 seasons.

A two-time Super Bowl champion, 13-time Pro Bowler and two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the future Hall of Famer could back up all of his yapping on the field by dominating his opponents, knocking them into next week whenever he got a chance.

Roger Clemens

A seven-time Cy Young Award winner, former hurler Roger Clemens had the stuff to make batters look silly anytime they stepped into the box against him.

He also had a mean streak that he often used to brush back or bean his opposition, too.

While Clemens' most famous instance of nailing a hitter came during the 2000 season when he cracked former New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza in the helmet, he also beaned 159 others in his career, earning a reputation as a real badass on the mound.

And, as most of us know, The Rocket proved to continue his enforcer card on Piazza later in that 2000 season, throwing a bat at the guy during the World Series.

Yeah, Clemens wasn't a guy to get mad.

Ron Artest/Metta World Peace

Even without the Malice at the Palace that occurred during the 2004 season, former NBA player Ron Artest—otherwise known as Metta World Peace—proved to be a guy not to be messed with.

From pulling down Paul Pierce's shorts during a game to try and stop the former Boston Celtic great to swinging elbows and downright injuring his opposition, Artest was one of those guys who were wired differently when they stepped onto the basketball court.

Off the floor, he proved to have a less intense personality, but on it, yeah, no one wanted to get on his bad side.