Most Inglorious Exits in Sports
The end of something isn't always as important as its beginning, but how it ends can ruin the entire lot, or reaffirm the greatness of something great. This is why fireworks shows have grand finales and waffle cones sell themselves.
Many of the most revered figures in sports history achieved their status—in part—by writing a final chapter free of superfluous cliff hangers or teasers. While others can never truly escape the way their story ended—regardless of what happened before it.
But the career doesn’t have a monopoly on exits; how an athlete or coach ends something significant in their career can impact their legacy—like leaving the team they’ve been integral to for decades, or simply getting canned spectacularly.
These are some of the most inglorious exits in sports.
Eli Manning
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In 2004, Eli Manning, an Ole Miss standout with a name that will echo through the ages, was drafted No. 1 overall by the Chargers in the NFL draft. In the days and weeks leading up to the draft, it was widely speculated that San Diego would select Manning, despite it being public knowledge that the youngest Manning brother wanted absolutely nothing to do with the franchise.
The Chargers did select Manning, who dutifully walked up to the stage and held a team jersey against his chest as if it were a bomb that could go off at any moment—he didn’t even put the hat on. As of April 2014, it was difficult for Manning to remember quite why he didn’t want to go to San Diego…except that he didn’t. Obviously dodging the question, Manning laughed it off, saying that it’s “been 10 years” and that it simply just slipped his mind.
Ultimately Manning was traded to the Giants and Phillip Rivers ended up with the Chargers, which may have been meant to be all along, but there’s something still unsettling about just how icky Manning’s departure was from San Diego.
LeBron James
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In the summer of 2010, the free agency of one LeBron James was one of the only stories that seemed to exist. An Akron native, James was drafted No. 1 overall by the Cavaliers in the 2003 NBA draft. After playing his first seven seasons in his home state of Ohio, where he failed to win a championship, the only thing the world wanted to know was whether he’d stay the hometown hero, or become the ultimate Judas.
On July 8, James decided on Judas—or at least that’s how millions perceived it when he announced his decision to take his talents to South Beach via an excessively unnecessary prime-time special on ESPN. After all, word of his “Decision” had been leaked out hours earlier anyway.
James’ supposed betrayal was not met well in Cleveland, nor did it sit particularly well around the country, given the pomp and circumstance of the announcement. After four relatively villainous years with the Heat, and two championships, James did the once unthinkable during the 2014 offseason—he made the decision to return to the Cavaliers.
Perhaps he’s undone most of the damage done in 2010, but should James decide to bail on the Cavs at any point again in the future, the reaction could be even worse than it was the first time around. His exit from Miami wasn’t nearly as dramatic, as James was given a warm welcome when he returned to Miami for the first time in December 2014.
Plaxico Burress
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An explosive, if not sporadically lazy, wide receiver, Plaxico Burress really upped his game when he joined the Giants in 2005 after playing his first five seasons with the Steelers. Though on the decline in 2008, largely due to an early season suspension for violating team rules and a growing malcontent, Burress literally ended his career in New York with a bang in late November.
Having made the terrible decision to hit up a Manhattan nightclub with a .40-caliber Glock in the waistband of his sweatpants, Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg while being escorted to a VIP area. The injury was serious and required immediate medical attention, which is why he headed to a local hospital, checking in under a fake name. Attempts to disguise his identity were futile and a full-scale investigation was soon launched.
The gun was ultimately recovered at Burress’ residence. It was determined that he was not licensed to carry the weapon in New York—he once possessed a conceal-and-carry permit in Florida that expired in May 2008. Burress received a two-year prison sentence for his stupidity and never played for the Giants again. By the time he was released, his career was largely over.
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V. Stiviano
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Former Clippers owner Donald Sterling might be the least sympathetic figure in sports…maybe ever…but his former lady friend V. Stiviano isn’t all that many rungs above the old man on that ladder. Having allegedly recorded more than 200 hours of private conversations with her former “friend,” the racist records released by TMZ were only the tip of the iceberg.
Stiviano’s intention when she was secretly recording Sterling are unknown, but it’s hard to imagine she planned for an outcome in which, not only would Donald Sterling would lose the Clippers, but his wife Shelly would successfully sue for the return of more than $2.6 million in gifts she received.
The exit in this case didn’t come until April 30, 2015, when TMZ published photos of Stiviano moving out of the home Sterling had purchased for her. With an interesting mix of garbage bags and Chanel bags being moved from the condo, Stiviano’s crap was loaded up into what looked like a mobile meth lab—no joke.
Rob Ryan
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True to that boiling red-hot Ryan blood, and a name that has kept him employed for years despite continued lackluster performances by his teams overall, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was right that he wouldn’t be unemployed long after being fired by the Cowboys in January 2013. Days later he was hired by Jeff Fisher as the Rams’ DC, as position that, according to Deadspin’s calculations, he held for all of 6,899 minutes.
Four days after Jeff Fisher hired Ryan, some sort of “bad blood” boiled up, causing Ryan to flee the facility forever. Apparently he left the facility and went straight to McDonald to indulge in a Big Mac across the street at 7:30 a.m. and never returned.
Two weeks later, the Saints hired him, a team that had the last-place defense in 2012. The following season New Orleans improved to No. 4 overall in the NFL, but in 2014 they finished second to last in the league. In December 2013 Ryan attempted to explain what, exactly, went down in St. Louis. His explanation was lacking, much like so many of his team’s success on defense.
Wayne Gretzky
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As of 2013, it had been 25 years since Wayne “The Great One” Gretzky left his native Canada to the Kings. Prior to that he had played 10 seasons with the Oilers in Edmonton, winning four Stanley Cup championships along the way.
Gretzky was already the greatest player the game had ever seen—and will likely ever see—and the Oilers were a full-fledged dynasty. Which is exactly why, perhaps the entire nation of Canada, took it as a stab in the back when Gretzky married an American actress and was ultimately traded to a team in Los Angeles.
Though there seems to be an awful lot of speculation as to whom truly initiated the talks and how they became serious, the fact is that Gretzky was ultimately traded to the Kings, much to the dismay of many within the organization, not to mention Oilers fans, and the rest of Canada.
To say fans in Edmonton were angry at his exit is an understatement, hundreds rallied to protest the move. In December 2014, the Edmonton Journal noted the only thing Oilers fans “have left is their anger in the humor,” commenting on their decades of futility since the departure of Gretzky.
Bill Belichick
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Outside of New England there aren’t a great many of stories (outside Super Bowl wins, which is obviously something to consider) that paint Patriots coach Bill Belichick in a particularly flattering light. Few, however, are worse than the tale of how he quit the Jets. The heir apparent to a departing Bill Parcells, in January 2000 Belichick was named the head coach of the Jets.
Less than 24 hours later he submitted a hand-written resignation note, which he provided to the team president just minutes before the press conference to announce the passing of the torch was to begin. Belichick cited a number of reasons for his bizarre exit, one of which was “personal turmoil.” He was hired by the Patriots three weeks later.
Donald Sterling
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Not exactly known as one of the NBA’s nice guys, in April 2014 the reputation of (then) Clippers owner Donald Sterling didn’t improve when TMZ released damming audio of private conversations between he and alleged mistress V. Stiviano. Sterling’s remarks were blatantly racist, with absolutely no room to be misconstrued.
Not long after the audio went public, the billionaire did himself no favors by appearing in a disastrous interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper. The situation snowballed, with newly minted commissioner Adam Silver slapping Sterling with a lifetime ban from the league and a $2.5 million fine. Silver made it clear that he intended to force Sterling out of the NBA, and that’s exactly what he did.
Though he attempted to fight the sale, ultimately his wife, Shelly Sterling, was given control of the family trust, which allowed former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to purchase the Clippers for $2 billion. He officially took control of the team in August, barely four months after the audio first leaked.
Dwight Howard
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An All-Star big man drafted No. 1 overall by the Magic in the 2004 NBA draft, Dwight Howard played his first season in Orlando largely without incident—and largely without help! But as free agency began looming large on the horizon, things started to get tense for the Magic around 2010, something that would become a permanent state of being.
Would he stay or would he go was a question without answers that simply would not go away. In March 2012 ESPN’s Chris Broussard reported he planned to stay with the Magic, with Howard making a big production of signing a waiver that said he would not opt out of the final season of his rookie contract the following season.
A month later (then) coach in Orlando Stan Van Gundy went public with the fact that Howard wanted him fired and that it made him uncomfortable. Howard denied it, but within months both Van Gundy and general Manager Otis Smith were shown the door. It sure seemed liked the Magic were making heaven and earth move to keep Howard happy and in Orlando, but in August he was traded to the Lakers.
He spent one contentious season in Los Angeles, where he failed to make nice with Kobe Bryant or do much to improve the team, before signing with the Rockets in 2013. Though he probably left a lot more heartbreak and hurt feelings in Orlando, Howard’s tenure with the Lakers left nothing but discontent bordering on blind rage. Howard will always see things differently, but the fact of the matter is that he had two of the ugliest exist in recent NBA history, both in just under 11 months.
Manny Ramirez
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Given all that happened, it’s hard to imagine there was a time in which former slugger Manny Ramirez was ever revered by Red Sox fans in Boston. Kind of like Alex Rodriguez everywhere he’s played—man, he was good at times, but has he ever had any friends? But Ramirez played there for almost eight seasons and was pretty damn good for a while, so it’s also hard to imagine there wasn’t. Then again, there is the argument that he was probably cheating the entire time, so there’s that to consider as well.
That being said, any goodwill that existed in 2001 was dead and rotting on the side of the road by 2008, when he was traded to the Dodgers. Over the years, relations between Manny and his teammates, team officials and Red Sox fans had degraded severely, mostly in part to “Manny being Manny,” which basically means “a jagoff being a jagoff.” He had disappeared at times, refusing to play, fought with teammates, and just generally conducted himself like a man who couldn’t possibly care less about anything but himself.
In between long-term suspensions for performance-enhancing drug use, Ramirez played very little ball for the Dodgers, White Sox and Rays until 2011, none of which were sad to see him go. When he retired in 2011, reactions were mixed for Ramirez’s former Red Sox teammates but largely negative. And you’d be hard-pressed to find any Boston fans with anything positive about the man who was nothing but a nightmare by the end of his tenure.
Brett Favre
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Given their notoriously frosty relationship, it’s quite clear that former Packers quarterback Brett Favre saw the writing on the wall when Green Bay selected Cal’s Aaron Rodgers No. 24 overall in the 2005 NFL draft. At the time Favre was 35 years old and in the midst of two very trying years, personally.
Nonetheless, the Gunslinger was given three more seasons at the helm in Green Bay, more than enough time to wrap his head around and plan a graceful exit. Favre did neither of those things. Despite continually hinting at retirement, Favre decided that, not only did he want to keep playing in the league, he wanted to play for the division rival Vikings, probably out of spite.
The Packers wouldn’t oblige him on the second part, but they did trade him to the Jets. Favre played one season in New York before signing on with the Vikings anyway and playing two seasons in Minnesota—the second of which was a legacy-denting embarrassment. It was an ugly situation created exclusively by Favre himself one for which he maintains he harbors no regrets
Lane Kiffin
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With a fascinating penchant for failing upward, in January 2010 USC hired Lane Kiffin, whose resume included being fired by the Raiders and one season at Tennessee, to head the Trojans football program. By September 2013, it’s fair to say the school was experiencing the sort of buyer’s remorse that only the late Al Davis could truly understand.
Coming off their seventh loss in their last 11 games, this one a humiliating road blowout against Pac-12 opponent Arizona State, the decision was made at some point during or after the game to cut ties with Kiffin. Athletic Director Pat Haden was nice enough to give Kiffin a ride home on the team’s flight, but at some point along the way he was given the stanky boot and left standing at baggage claim as the team bus pulled away from LAX upon its return.
It was universally celebrated as one of the most gloriously deserved firings in recent sports history. Then a few months later he was hired by Nick Saban at SEC powerhouse Alabama, because of course.
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