10 Athletes Who Completely Rewrote Their Career Arc
In the never-ending screenplay known as sports, athletes ebb and flow through constantly evolving story arcs. Until a player retires, never make the mistake of writing his or her narrative in permanent ink.
Like a poorly written drama, players often get written off, only to return from the dead shortly after. When sports fans watch the same outcome long enough, they jump to the series finale and assume nothing will ever change.
Of course, that's not always the case. That All-Star will eventually win the big one. That draft bust doesn't always live in infamy. That college star who will never make it in the pros sometimes sticks around.
The best fictional characters adapt and grow, completely subverting viewer expectations to become well-rounded humans. These athletes started their careers with stale scripts but have since transformed cautionary tales into compelling careers.
Here's a look at the players who started from scratch to rewrite their career arcs for the better.
Alex Smith
1 of 10
The Old Story
Three years into his career, Alex Smith was on a dark path to Ryan Leaf status.
Drafted No. 1 over Aaron Rodgers in 2005's NFL draft, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback earned an abysmal 54.4 completion percentage while throwing 31 interceptions in 32 games. Having seen enough, San Francisco sat him for veteran Trent Dilfer in 2007. He didn't throw a single pass the following year, during which the NFC West squad went 7-9 behind Shaun Hill and J.T. O'Sullivan.
Meanwhile, Rodgers finally escaped Brett Favre's shadow to amass 4,038 passing yards and 28 touchdowns in 2008, his first year as the Green Bay Packers' starter. Smith looked doomed to go down as one of the worst draft mistakes in NFL history.
The New Story
If given a do-over, the 49ers would still waste no time selecting Rodgers over Smith. As the former continues to cement his legacy as an all-time great, it remains a regrettable gaffe. Yet the Utah alum has carved out his own path as an above-average starting quarterback.
Given a second chance by Jim Harbaugh in 2011, the formerly inaccurate Smith morphed into a pinpoint passer. Playing alongside a stellar supporting cast, he notched a 64.3 completion percentage over two vastly improved seasons.
With him throwing five interceptions each in 2011 and 2012, the 49ers went 20-5-1 during his time under center for Harbaugh. Smith took them to overtime of the NFC Championship Game the year before watching Colin Kaepernick spark a Super Bowl run.
The 32-year-old now serves as a steady veteran for the Kansas City Chiefs, who have enjoyed three consecutive winning seasons. Before his arrival, they went 2-14 with a minus-214 point differential in 2012.
Currently 5-2 in the tough AFC West, they're once again playoff contenders with Smith sporting a 66.1 completion percentage. He's not Rodgers, but Smith has harnessed his skills on strong teams to flourish as a mid-tier option.
Danny Duffy
2 of 10
The Old Story
At the start of his career, Danny Duffy posted relatively boring numbers for the Kansas City Royals.
Even when he netted a 2.53 ERA in 2014, he did so with 6.81 strikeouts and 3.19 walks per nine innings, rates which hinted at major regression. The slide came the following year, when he posted a 4.08 ERA with a 6.72 K/9 and 3.49 BB/9.
To make room for Johnny Cueto, the Royals moved Duffy to the bullpen, where he returned at the start of 2016. The 27-year-old southpaw looked to join a long line of failed starters who transitioned into a more beneficial reliever role.
The New Story
He performed well in shorter spurts, but Kansas City stretched him back into the rotation. The reigning champions were rewarded with a new and improved Duffy.
As a starter, he compiled a 3.56 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. More impressively, his K/9 skyrocketed to 9.30 while his BB/9 dwindled to 2.06. According to FanGraphs, his average fastball velocity increased from 93.6 to 94.9 miles per hour. As a result, opponents whiffed at 12.9 percent of his pitches, up drastically from his career 9.3 rate.
A rough September spoiled his success story, but Duffy had never pitched 150 or more major league innings before logging 179.2.
If this is a one-year occurrence, he may wind up back in the bullpen after all. Yet if he can build up the stamina to support this strikeout uptick, he suddenly warrants consideration as Kansas City's No. 1 starter next season.
Andy Murray
3 of 10
The Old Story
Although a steady performer, Andy Murray couldn't overcome Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. At best he was the clear fourth-best member of the Big Four.
The English tennis star reached the semifinals of eight Grand Slam tournaments from 2010 to 2012 without a first-place triumph. Given a chance to win his first major in front of a hometown crowd, he lost the 2012 Wimbledon Final to Federer.
Constantly ranked No. 4, his run always ended against one of the three icons perched above him.
The New Story
After falling short at Wimbledon, he finally broke the drought at the 2012 U.S. Open, where he overcame Djokovic in a grueling five-set classic.
He has since delighted All England Club attendees with two Wimbledon wins, the first requiring a final victory over Djokovic. With Nadal and Federer both ailing, the 29-year-old has elevated to the No. 2 world rank with Djokovic's top spot in sight.
Heading into the BNP Paribas Masters, Murray is 69-9 with a career-high seven titles this year. He has won events indoors and outdoors on hard, grass and clay courts. Per ATP World Tour, he discussed the possibility of rising to No. 1:
"Anyone, at what they do, would obviously love to get there. A few years ago, I’d never won a Grand Slam. I was always getting asked, ‘When are you going to win a Grand Slam?’ It wasn’t so much about getting to World No. 1. Now that I’ve won a few Grand Slams, for myself it would be a nice thing to achieve and for my team too. A lot of my team has worked with me since the start of my career on the tour.
"
He hasn't yet assembled career accolades rivaling the other greats, but there's now no denying that Murray belongs in the top tier of tennis stars.
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Jackie Bradley Jr.
4 of 10
The Old Story
Jackie Bradley Jr. sure can field. If only he could hit.
Because of his strong defense and plate discipline, the Boston Red Sox fast-tracked the outfielder through the minors. At the highest level, he batted below the Mendoza Line in 2013 and 2014, exiting those 164 games with four home runs.
If not for also accruing 15 defensive runs saved two years ago, per FanGraphs, he might have run out of chances. Yet he stuck around despite hitting a dreadful .133/.229/.233 entering 2015's All-Star break. Given Boston's depth, he looked better suited as a defensive specialist on a National League club's bench.
The New Story
Bradley suddenly turned a corner in the batter's box, finishing 2015 with a resoundingly enhanced .267/.352/.539 slash line. He established that breakout as the new norm by batting .267/.349/.486 with 26 homers in 2016.
As a rookie, he mustered 18 hits over 37 uninspiring contests. This year, he scattered 44 hits through a 29-game hitting streak.
Don't forget about his stellar defense. In addition to his offensive breakthrough, the 26-year-old is one of three AL Gold Glove finalists in center field. The torrid stretch led him to start the MLB All-Star Game alongside Red Sox teammates Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and David Ortiz.
Formerly a limited talent, Bradley is now a two-way star for a team loaded with talented young position players.
Jeremy Lin
5 of 10
The Old Story
Before Linsanity swept the NBA, Jeremy Lin toiled at the bottom of the Golden State Warriors' depth chart. When the undrafted free agent later signed with the New York Knicks, he famously crashed on his brother's couch. After all, he wasn't offered enough job security to bother getting his own place.
Everything changed in 2012 when the point guard went wild. He had scored 32 points all season before torching the then-New Jersey Nets for 25 on Feb. 4. This started a fairy-tale 10 games during which he averaged 24.6 points and 9.2 assists.
He became an instant hero—but not without backlash from those waiting for the other shoe to drop. This group reportedly included Carmelo Anthony, whose return from an injury halted Lin's run. Four years ago, ESPN The Magazine's Tim Keown tied the superstar to the eventual ousting of Lin and head coach Mike D'Antoni.
Although a fun diversion, his breakout wasn't sustainable. Anthony later called Lin's back-loaded $30 million contract with the Houston Rockets "ridiculous," and he wasn't alone in that sentiment.
The New Story
As even his biggest fans likely expected, those magical winter weeks of 2012 proved the best of Lin's career. He did not, however, fade away as a one-hit wonder.
Remaining a productive NBA guard, he has averaged 11.8 points per game on a 43.2 field-goal percentage. The year after New York failed to match Houston's offer sheet, he started all 82 games, tallying 13.4 points and 6.1 assists per contest.
This year, he has a golden opportunity to restart Linsanity in the Big Apple. On the rebuilding Brooklyn Nets—where he is reunited with former Knicks assistant Kenny Atkinson—the offense will run through Lin and star center Brook Lopez. The 28-year-old is off to a promising start, attaining 21 points, nine rebounds and nine assists during a 103-94 victory over the Indiana Pacers last week.
Often dismissed as a novelty, Lin has carved his spot as a dependable playmaker once again freed to attack the basket rather than hiding under someone else's shadow.
Terrelle Pryor
6 of 10
The Old Story
Despite a standout season as Ohio State's quarterback, Terrelle Pryor entered the NFL without a position. Around this time, he was more known for an NCAA suspension caused by him and college teammates selling personal memorabilia.
Enamored with tall talent possessing breakaway speed, the Oakland Raiders took him in 2011's supplemental draft, thus forfeiting a third-round pick the following year. Given a chance under center in 2013, he tossed 11 interceptions in as many games with an underwhelming 6.61 yards per pass attempt.
He then passed through three organizations (Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals) without seeing the field. Pryor's chances of making it as an NFL quarterback dwindled to a microscopically low nadir.
The New Story
Sensing the end, Pryor agreed to try his hand at wide receiver with the Cleveland Browns, whose new management made a concerted effort to improve the position. While none of their other acquisitions have made an impact yet, the former Buckeyes passer is now their top offensive weapon.
Through eight 2016 games, the 27-year-old has recorded a team-high 41 catches and 532 receiving yards. In Week 8's 31-28 loss to the New York Jets, he reached triple digits for the second time this year.
He did so in the first half alone. Against Darrelle Revis.
Poised to fall out of the league, Pryor instead adapted and morphed into Cleveland's premier wideout on pace for a 1,000-yard campaign.
Yoenis Cespedes
7 of 10
The Old Story
Yoenis Cespedes kept hitting for power, and MLB teams kept trading him.
While preparing for a playoff run in 2014, the Oakland Athletics surprisingly dealt the outfielder to Boston for starting pitcher Jon Lester, a postseason rental before his contract expired. Months later, Boston flipped him to the Detroit Tigers for starting pitcher Rick Porcello, who validated the move this season.
Why did nobody want someone who has hit 22 homers in every season since joining the majors in 2012? Despite his power stroke, he notched underwhelming on-base percentages of .294 and .301 in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Although still an above-average hitter, he wasn't a great one.
The New Story
Out of contention, Detroit selling him to the New York Mets in the summer of 2015 made perfect sense. In a rare win-win transaction, Michael Fulmer made a compelling American League Rookie of the Year case in 2016. Cespedes, meanwhile, has ascended into elite territory.
After the move, he carried New York to an NL East title by blasting 17 homers in 57 games. Back for more this year, he batted .280/.354/.530 with 31 long balls.
Sure, a traditionalist will like a .280 average paired with 31 dingers and 86 RBI plenty, but the career-high on-base percentage is particularly significant. The 31-year-old halted a three-year trend of declining walk rates by issuing a career-best 9.4 walk percentage, per FanGraphs.
Due to his sustained breakout, Cespedes is in store for a massive payday. Per Today's Knuckleball's Jon Heyman, he plans to opt out of his three-year deal, and general managers anticipate him receiving $100 million or more.
By moving back to left field, he could garner MVP consideration on the right club.
Matthew Stafford
8 of 10
The Old Story
Early in his career, Matthew Stafford was quickly slapped with the "injury prone" scarlet letter. The Detroit Lions' No. 1 pick missed six games during his 2009 rookie campaign before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery three games into the following year.
During his first full season in 2011, he fired 41 passing touchdowns. But before anyone could elevate him into the top pantheon of quarterbacks, he completed less than 60 percent of his passes in each of the next two years while capitulating 36 combined interceptions.
Football fans accepted his allotment as a better fantasy player than actual one. Even when inefficient, he'd easily surpass 4,000 passing yards in an air-heavy offense featuring superstar wide receiver Calvin Johnson.
The New Story
Stafford has shredded the "Can he stay healthy?" narrative by starting 88 straight games since returning from surgery in 2011. Midway through 2016, he's having a career year without the retired Johnson.
The 28-year-old currently sports personal bests in completion percentage (67.7) and yards per pass attempt (7.64). Having previously averaged over an interception per game, he has only tossed four picks in eight contests.
Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter deserves plenty of credit. In 17 games since he assumed play-calling duties, Stafford has churned out 4,550 passing yards, 39 touchdowns and eight interceptions with a 68.4 completion percentage.
Previously an erratic passer, he is now slinging safe, shorter strikes to his teammates in open space. Even without Johnson, he has sparked MVP endorsements by engineering late game-winning scoring drives in all four of Detroit's victories.
Andrew Miller
9 of 10
The Old Story
A highly touted southpaw, Andrew Miller only fell to No. 6 in 2006's MLB amateur draft because of signing concerns. The Detroit Tigers took the chance, which paid off handsomely when they exchanged him as the headliner of a package deal for superstar slugger Miguel Cabrera.
As the first baseman continued his path to Cooperstown, Miller posted a 5.89 ERA in three horrific seasons for the then-Florida Marlins. The 6'6" starter couldn't command the strike zone, issuing a terrifying 125 walks over 222 innings.
The Marlins cut their losses in 2010 and traded him to the Red Sox, who later non-tendered the lefty. Boston, then managed by Terry Francona, signed him back and started his reclamation process in the minor leagues.
The New Story
After another disappointing season in the rotation, Miller moved to the bullpen. He hit his stride in 2014, prompting the New York Yankees to sign him to a four-year, $36 million deal.
He dominated for the Bronx Bombers, accumulating 177 strikeouts over 107 frames, but they seized an opportunity to sell him to the Cleveland Indians for a bounty of prospects. On his fourth American League club in three years, he went from unheralded setup man to postseason hero.
A huge reason why Cleveland has two chances to lock up the World Series at home, Miller has allowed eight hits and one run over 17 superb playoff innings. Already boasting 29 strikeouts, he earned American League Championship MVP honors in part thanks to Francona ignoring modern bullpen conventions.
If a big spot arises in the sixth inning, Francona calls for his best reliever. He has also trusted Miller to register at least four outs in all nine outings.
Once a wild starter who couldn't throw strikes, Miller has collected 326 strikeouts and just 46 walks over his last three seasons. Because he has taken center stage in October, observers now appreciate him as one of the premier relievers in baseball, if not the best.
LeBron James
10 of 10
The Old Story
On July 8, 2010, LeBron James turned heel. Ohio's own dumped the Cleveland Cavaliers on national TV to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat.
The Decision instantly transformed him and the Heat into villains. They were branded as renegades set out to strip the NBA of parity and team loyalty. His "not four, not five, not six..." pep-rally speech didn't help manage expectations either.
It also magnified every move to intense national scrutiny. So when Miami fell short to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 Finals, fans rejoiced and critics (fueled by Skip Bayless) sharpened their knives.
Eight years into his brilliant career, James had no rings.
The New Story
Nobody should have been surprised to see James' Heat win the next two championships. It's easy to say, "The titles won't mean as much away from Cleveland" before watching the ceremonies and parades, but they looked pretty meaningful to James and Co.
Then again, that point became prescient when the superstar forward returned home. Down 3-1 to the Golden State Warriors—who set an NBA record with 73 regular-season wins—he dropped 41 points in back-to-back games before closing the deal with a Game 7 triple-double.
After that groundbreaking Finals comeback, anyone who criticizes James either knows nothing about basketball or is desperate for attention.
James is now the conquering hero battling the dastardly Warriors, who recruited Kevin Durant to their already lethal squad. The chosen one for his entire career, he's now the underdog overcoming the odds.
Anyone who avoids Bayless and that one irrational fan who watches too much sports shouting should be forever free of all anti-James backlash. Most reasonable observers now appreciate the once-in-a-generation superstar staking his claim on basketball's Mount Rushmore.
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