10 Athlete Careers That Recently Took a U-Turn
Alex Rodriguez was going to be on a big league roster for 2016. Tim Tebow couldn't give up the football dream.
But now, that has all changed.
These athletes, and a few others, have each done an about-face recently (as in, very recently). Something about their careers has changed abruptly, whether it's a change in status or even a change in sport. Whatever it has been, the change has been a stark contrast to the status quo, and as such, it has been uber-entertaining for the fans to follow.
Not included in these career U-turns are retirements (A-Rod could come back to play for someone else, guys!), since those aren't so much U-turns as dead ends.
Thanks to these 10 athletes for keeping things interesting and proving, once again, anything can happen in sports.
Robert Griffin III
1 of 10
From: 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year, essentially, the man in Washington
To: Benched, released
To: Starting quarterback
Robert Griffin III has made more than one U-turn over the course of his still-young NFL career.
Griffin went from the No. 2 overall draft pick/perceived savior in Washington to a benched exile on his own team. He was released in March and later picked up by the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns named Griffin the team's starting quarterback for 2016. Perhaps the hype isn't quite as extreme as it was in 2012, but there is an air of hope surrounding Cleveland's newest signal-caller.
Cleveland coach Hue Jackson said, per a statement, via Conor Orr of NFL.com:
"Since he was signed back in March, Robert has made it clear through his actions that he is willing to do everything that has been asked of him to earn this role. Throughout this process he has gained the respect from his teammates, the coaching staff and the entire organization that is necessary for him to lead our offense and really the entire team.
"
Theo Walcott
2 of 10
From: Intent on being a striker
To: Content to be a right winger
English footballer Theo Walcott has made a U-turn, but unfortunately, his club manager apparently has not.
In 2011, Walcott told Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger he wanted to transition to the striker position from his place at the right wing.
Five years later, it's not exactly working out. Walcott was left off England's roster for Euro 2016, and the most goals he scored in a campaign was 21 in 2012-13, according to Dominic King of the Daily Mail.
Per King, Walcott expressed flexibility recently in an effort to retain a meaningful role with the club and said his position is a "question for the manager."
Speaking of that, Wenger said, per Mattias Karen of ESPNFC, "I believe he has all the ingredients to be a great striker." And, "He's not a great defender."
Jonathan Papelbon
3 of 10
From: New Washington Nationals closer who took a man's job
To: Nats closer who had his job taken
To say Jonathan Papelbon went from being the hunter to the hunted is an oversimplification, but the parallels of his current situation to that of Drew Storen's one year ago are intriguing.
In July 2015, the Nationals traded for Papelbon, even though Storen was on hand at the time to handle closing duties.
A year later, the Nats traded for another closer who, ironically, took Papelbon's job. Papelbon's ERA was over 4.00, and All-Star closer Mark Melancon arrived from the Pittsburgh Pirates in July.
Papelbon seems to be handling the change all right. Scott Allen of the Washington Post wrote, "Remember, Papelbon told the team that he was on board with the decision to trade for Melancon before the deadline and has, by all accounts, handled his demotion well in the clubhouse."
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Kevin Durant
4 of 10
From: Widely beloved, "hero" status
To: Widely criticized, "villain" status
Kevin Durant's career has undergone a significant geographical change, certainly, but it's really his reputation that has taken the U-turn.
Durant was easily one of the most liked players in the NBA during his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Then in July, he announced his long-awaited free-agency decision and joined the juggernaut Golden State Warriors.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said it's "kind of absurd" to think of Durant as a villain, per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, and added: "This is one of the most likable people in this league. He's just an awesome human being. What he did in Oklahoma City was just amazing for that community."
Durant might not be as widely beloved as he once was, but if he gets that championship ring, it doesn't seem like that will matter.
Jimmy Garoppolo
5 of 10
From: Definite backup
To: Definite starter
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's season took a U-turn with his four-game Deflategate suspension, but his career as a football legend is still fully on track.
His backup, Jimmy Garoppolo, on the other hand, has an opportunity for a potential career-changing four games.
Garoppolo is under contract with New England through 2017, but if he plays well in Brady's absence, who knows? Brady signed a two-year extension in March through 2019. Also he's, uh, Tom Brady, so he's not going anywhere.
Garoppolo went from backing up one of the game's all-time greats to becoming the definite starter. It's a career about-face that could have minimal impact, or it could be his chance to impress potential suitors.
Alex Rodriguez
6 of 10
Went from: Beloved, hyped, once-in-a-generation talent, surefire Hall of Famer (also, playing in 2016)
To: A midseason end to a tumultuous career (also, not playing in 2016)
Alex Rodriguez's career U-turn has been in motion for a long time, but its culmination finally came in early August.
If one had tried to predict what Alex Rodriguez's final game would look like early on in his career—back when he was making his MLB debut at age 18 or winning three MVP Awards in five years—a ceremony to great fanfare likely would have come to mind.
Instead, a man who has hit 696 career home runs will play his (likely) last MLB game on a random Friday in August for a team that has relegated him to the bench. He is eligible to play for another team in 2017.
Admission of performance-enhancing drug use, a season-long suspension from MLB, a tumultuous relationship with the New York Yankees and the game itself—all have contributed to A-Rod's reputational U-turn over the years. And now, the Yankees' commitment to young talent has created a reversal in A-Rod's status as an active player.
Nate Ebner
7 of 10
From: NFL safety
To: Olympic rugby player
This one is a temporary U-turn, since Nate Ebner is still technically a member of the New England Patriots. He is simply on leave while he competes for the U.S. rugby sevens team in the Rio Olympics.
Ebner played in the second half of Team USA's match against Argentina, officially becoming the first active NFL player to compete in the Summer Olympic Games in the process.
The Patriots have been supportive of Ebner's temporary departure from the team—head coach Bill Belichick even wore an Ebner Team USA jersey to camp.
Paul Pogba
8 of 10
Went from: The Manchester United prospect of the past
To: The Manchester United midfielder of the future
Paul Pogba made a literal U-turn in August, returning to his former team.
Manchester United paid Italian club Juventus a world-record £89 transfer fee to reobtain the French midfielder. The English club signed Pogba in 2009, and he left for Serie A—amid some light drama—in 2012.
According to Luke Kerr-Dineen of For the Win, Pogba had grown tired of waiting for a full-time promotion to the first team and gave Manchester United a "kind of ultimatum" in 2011.
After Pogba left for Juventus, Sir Alex Ferguson (then the manager at Old Trafford) said: "I don't think he showed us any respect at all, to be honest. I'm quite happy that if they [footballers] carry on that way, they're probably better doing it away from us," per Kerr-Dineen.
Fast forward to August 2016, and new manager Jose Mourinho said Pogba could be the "heart of the club" for the next 10 years, according to BBC Sport.
Tim Tebow
9 of 10
Went from: NFL hopeful
To: MLB hopeful
If at first you don't succeed, pivot?
Tim Tebow's athletic career has taken a few U-turns, actually. Tebow was a Heisman winning, national championship quarterback at the University of Florida.
From there, he was drafted by the Denver Broncos, and though his pro career was spotty at best, he did have some success, leading the Broncos to a playoff victory in 2011.
In between NFL attempts, Tebow has worked as broadcaster for the SEC Network, but now, he's reportedly aiming for a career in professional baseball.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported, "Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN broadcaster Tim Tebow is actively pursuing a career in professional baseball and plans to hold a workout for Major League Baseball teams later this month, according to his agents Jimmy Sexton and Nick Khan."
Yasiel Puig
10 of 10
Went from: Breakout superstar
To: Triple-A outfielder
In 2014, Yasiel Puig was an All-Star, a promising young talent for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sure, he was a bit showy on the field and sure, there were reports of trouble in the locker room, but he was also undeniably athletic and talented. Puig hit .296 in 2014 and made his first All-Star team in just his second big league season.
And yet, injuries and decreased production (.260 with seven home runs in 81 games) hampered Puig in 2016. The Dodgers acquired outfielder Josh Reddick from the Oakland A's and sent Puig to Triple-A.
Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi admitted behavior was also a contributing factor to the demotion, according to Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times.
Per McCullough, Zaidi said: "There are certainly things we believe he could do better off the field. And those have been communicated to him. I don't want to elaborate on it further."
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