Sports Stars You Never Thought Would Turn into Backups
You know, as much as we would all love to be a professional athlete—you know, with the whole fortune, fame and potential glory that it brings—that doesn't mean that the job is easy.
Like anything else, to be successful requires a heck of a lot of hard work, talent and a little bit of luck, taking advantage of the opportunities given.
When players reach a superstar status, many believe they've made it, with zero chance of coming down from that level.
Too bad that's not the case, though, as we've seen plenty of stars go from the toast of the town to, well, burnt, as they fell from grace and turned into backups. These are just a few of the biggest names to have had it happen.
David West
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Would many define David West as a superstar in the league? More than likely, no. However, has West been an above-average forward who has played the role of Batman on good teams? Absolutely.
A former All-Star, West has seen his numbers decline in recent years, but it was the decision he made this offseason to sign with the San Antonio Spurs that was most shocking.
It had nothing to do with where he went—who wouldn't want to play for a title contender?—it was how he did it, as West agreed to the league minimum contract to join the Spurs.
While unselfish, it's strange to see a guy like West—who had some solid seasons in the league—make the conscious decision to accept such a reduced role for a team.
J.T. Barrett
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Go ahead and say that Ohio State Buckeyes football player J.T. Barrett hadn't done enough to warrant the "star" label, but I'll feed you some stats to prove that he's, arguably, the best quarterback on the team's roster—yet continues to hold a clipboard behind starter Cardale Jones.
A redshirt freshman in 2014, Barrett led the Buckeyes to an 11-1 record before getting hurt in the annual game against Michigan, ending his season and opening the door for Jones—who took full advantage by guiding the Bucks to the national title.
Barrett also finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting thanks, in part, to his Big Ten-record 45 total touchdowns, which broke the mark of former Purdue signal-caller Drew Brees.
Although Barrett might have been demoted because of injury—which some may argue shouldn't happen—he's playing nice and not griping about it. That doesn't mean he doesn't have the skills to start, though.
Andre Iguodala
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Much like the aforementioned David West, Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala might not have been a bonafide superstar, but he was an All-Star caliber player who has found himself playing a backup role nowadays.
That's not to say Iggy's skills have been lost—winning the NBA Finals MVP proved that—but, for the good of the team, the former All-Star accepted a lesser role, which helped propel the Dubs to last season's championship.
It was a bold move to make for first-year head coach Steve Kerr—especially considering Iguodala was one of the highest-paid players on the roster—but it paid dividends and the player has opened up to it.
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Tim Tebow
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Sure, when the Denver Broncos selected Tim Tebow No. 25 overall in the 2010 NFL Draft, everyone was shocked about the pick.
Still, the former Heisman Trophy winner and two-time national champ in college had heart and some skills that could have led him to a solid career in the NFL, right?
Well, because of lack of opportunities, we may never know.
Tebow's major deficiency has always been throwing the football—which is sort of a problem for a quarterback. But, when he did get a chance to start, he showed different ways in which he could lead his team to victories, even getting a playoff win with the Broncos in 2012.
With a name that, at one time, was more popular than any other in American sports, fans probably believed Tim Tebow would be starting for some NFL team right now, yet, it has yet to happen for him—and probably never will.
Chris Johnson
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Earning the nickname CJ2K thanks to his incredible 2009 season that saw him rush for over 2,000 yards, it's hard to believe running back Chris Johnson had to fight for another chance to make an NFL team this season.
Signing a huge deal with the Tennessee Titans in 2011, Johnson never again produced the type of season that warranted such cash, going from team to team over the past few seasons before winding up with the Arizona Cardinals this year.
Sure, CJ had a big output in the team's Week 2 game, but with the team's starter hoping to return following an injury soon, he'll be hoping to steal carries in a limited role for the rest of the year.
This guy used to be, arguably, the best back in football. Now he's just an afterthought.
Fernando Torres
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While many of the other players on this list saw a fall from grace from star to backup, there might not be a more bizarre example than Fernando Torres, who went from, apparent, superstar to nonexistent.
An absolute star on both the club and national team level, Torres was a golden boy who had extreme upside, at one point, netting 24 goals in 33 matches for Liverpool.
That seems like a long time ago, though.
Since then, the Spaniard has endured a 24-match goal-less streak, a demotion from starter to sub and a bargaining chip for club teams who, simply put, just don't want him around any longer.
It's been a sad fall for Torres, and one that, just a few years ago, would have been unfathomable to believe.
Johnny Manziel
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Love him, hate him, or try to ignore him, there's no denying that Johnny Manziel has star-power. Now, whether or not we'll see it is the big question.
While Manziel had no business starting at all during his rookie campaign in 2014 for the Cleveland Browns, proving to be underprepared and overwhelmed, when he got his chance to start in Week 2 of the 2015 season, he took advantage, guiding the team to its lone win of the season.
As impressive as he looked, though, the coaching staff decided to send him back to the bench afterward, leaving many to wonder what the short- and long-term future of the kid is in Cleveland.
He may not ever become a superstar, but, like Tim Tebow before him, Manziel will carry a big reputation wherever he goes.
Martin St. Louis
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Recently retiring, former NHL MVP Martin St. Louis was left with few options as he saw his skills diminish over the past few seasons.
Although St. Louis was considered to be one of the most dynamic players in the NHL, when the New York Rangers acquired the former All-Star during the 2013-14 season, they got a guy who was a shell of his former self, unable to play with the same effort that had made him so great.
For that reason, St. Louis fell from superstar to backup, incapable of affecting the outcome of games the way he used to—so it's a good call by him to walk away when he did.
Tim Howard
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While this one was certainly affected by Tim Howard's decision to take a leave of absence from the U.S. men's national soccer team, that doesn't mean it wasn't surprising to see the goalie not be reinserted as the squad's starter between the posts upon his return.
After the 2014 World Cup, Howard decided it was time for him to clear his mind and take some time away from representing the red, white and blue.
While doing so, head coach Jurgen Klinsmann moved Brad Guzan to No. 1 on the team's starting 11, meaning Howard—who was the star for the U.S. during the World Cup—was No. 2 and would have to earn the starting gig.
Sure, he'll, probably, take over the top spot sooner rather than later, but since returning, Howard hasn't seen any action with the national team—a sight that's unbelievable when you think about it.
Robert Griffin III
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He might not be the biggest name of the athletes who fell from potential superstar starter to backup, but Robert Griffin III is the most recent of the bunch, getting benched and causing serious drama among the Washington Redskins since.
RG3, seemingly, had all the skill to be the next dynamic quarterback in the league, winning the 2012 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and leading his team to the playoffs.
Injuries, inconsistent play and a shaky offensive line did him in, though, setting his career back in a way no one saw coming just 18 months ago.
What's most shocking about the whole RG3 benching is that he didn't just slip to second on the Skins' depth chart, he actually tumbled to third-string, with Washington's coaching staff believing journeyman Colt McCoy deserved to be be the backup.
No disrespect to McCoy, but that's low, man.
Michael Vick
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When Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger went down with a knee injury a few weeks into the 2015 season, it was a devastating blow to the Steelers and their high-octane offense.
However, for those who remember the glory days of his backup, Michael Vick, we wanted to believe that somehow, someway, the former No. 1 overall pick could emerge and prove to be the same dynamic player that he has long been remembered as.
At least in his first start, Vick didn't show that, as he struggled to move the Steelers offense in his lone start this season.
You guys, this is Michael Vick we're talking about. The same guy who became the first player in NFL history to sign two $100 million deals. Who went to four Pro Bowls. Who redefined what it meant to be a dual-threat quarterback.
At 35 years old, Vick is no longer the face of the franchise many of us remember him to be, and, it's a little hard to accept.
Allen Iverson
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In my lifetime, there were few NBA players like former All-Star point guard Allen Iverson.
As many experts and players often say, pound-for-pound, there might not have been a tougher or more talented player than Iverson, who routinely scored at will and made the game look easy.
When his skills diminished later in his career, A.I. kept the same selfish mindset that always made him a superstar—even if he wasn't any longer.
So when teams asked him to come off the bench, he scoffed at them, threw a tantrum and refused to accept that role, ending his NBA career because he couldn't handle playing second-fiddle—which, honestly, is something that was weird for all of us to see.
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