Top 10 Athletes Who Can't Catch a Break
Some athletes just can't catch a break.
More often than not the sporting world gives off a vibe of everything going as planned, athletes living the dream life and able to overcome anything thrown their way.
If only it were so simple.
The truth is more complex. Whether it's injuries, media coverage, being at the wrong place or something else entirely, some athletes just make fans shake their heads because of the consistent misfortune.
Here is a look at the pros who just can't have all the stars align at once no matter what happens.
JaVale McGee, Golden State Warriors
1 of 10The best type of bad-luck athlete is the one who is in on the joke.
So, JaVale McGee.
The "Shaqtin' a Fool" MVP has made some silly gaffes over the course of his career, which has helped him develop quite the reputation. He's still going strong in this regard with the Golden State Warriors.
McGee can never make another mistake only he would make because of this reputation. Give the guy a break already.
Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
2 of 10
Now before everyone gets up in arms, Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots is a future Hall of Famer who doesn't need much of a break on the field.
Rather, he needs a break to stay on it, which phrasing-wise, yes, is about as clumsy as McGee.
But look at it—Gronk has 6,095 yards and 68 receiving scores on his career since 2010. But he hasn't played a full 16-game season since 2011, with campaigns featuring only 11, seven and eight games on record.
Gronkowski has a huge list of injuries since joining the NFL, a trek best compiled by ESPN.com's Mike Reiss.
Gronk can't change the way he plays at 6'6" and 265 pounds. Here's to hoping that at the age of 27, he's given a better shake the next time he returns.
Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys
3 of 10
Many fans probably thought of Tony Romo upon reading the headline.
Romo had it pretty great to start his career, going undrafted and landing the starting gig as quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Things went well for a while, then the wheels started to fall off in 2013.
The Eastern Illinois product missed a game in 2013, then the entire year after. In 2015, he missed 12 games and hasn't taken a snap this year.
Now? Romo is healthy and capable but lost his job to rookie sensation Dak Prescott while he recovered.
What a turn of events. Romo wound up losing his job to basically a once-a-generation player and now his Cowboys look ready to gun for a Super Bowl.
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Tiger Woods, PGA
4 of 10
Tiger Woods is back for now.
That's about the best news golf fans have heard over the past couple of years as the legend himself has struggled to stay healthy. Or more aptly, his body has struggled to hold up to the rigors of the game.
Woods hit the Hero World Challenge in December, his long-awaited return, and finished even. It was good to see him back and even better to see he wasn't wincing after every shot.
Maybe Woods gets back into major contention soon. But there's the problem: Woods now needs a break in the realm of expectations, too. At 40 years old, fans can't expect him to win every weekend like they did for so long.
Woods needs two breaks. Settling for his health holding up would be a win for everyone.
Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears
5 of 10
Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler just can't win.
Since joining the Bears in 2009, Cutler has played a full, 16-game season just once and played through countless injuries. He's been the scapegoat regardless, and he has only been able to suit up for five games this season.
Even worse, Cutler has had to watch this year as guys like Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley go on to play some good football in his offense.
But worst of all? Most don't give Cutler credit for having to deal with a huge list of different offensive coordinators during his stint in Chicago. The best, Adam Gase in 2015, left after one year for a head coaching gig with the Miami Dolphins.
Somebody please help Jay out.
Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets
6 of 10
Cut the didn't-even-realize-Eric Gordon-was-still-in-the-league comments.
Well deserved, too, because few have had a worse shake than the former Indiana Hoosiers star. Gordon has flashed potential suggesting he could be one of the best guards in the league, such as when he averaged 22.3 points per game during the 2010-11 season.
Gordon, though, has never played a full season. He's only played 60 or more games in a season four times over his eight campaigns before this year.
A prototype 2-guard with elite scoring potential, Gordon is now 27 years old and giving it another go with the Houston Rockets.
Robert Griffin III, Cleveland Browns
7 of 10
Everybody knew Robert Griffin III would be on here somewhere.
The Baylor product exploded as an almost unexpected NFL prospect before going second overall in the 2012 NFL draft. RG3 then had a solid rookie season before everything went kaput. An ugly split with the Washington Redskins even somewhat helped him miss the entire 2015 season.
Griffin's shot at redemption came with the Cleveland Browns.
Rather than ending the explanation with that, just know RG3 suffered an injury in his first game with the team and hasn't played again. Over the course of his rehab process, he apparently had his wallet stolen from the parking lot.
For RG3, the big break has yet to arrive.
Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
8 of 10
Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal continues to flirt with a permanent status on a list such as this.
Beal is only 23 years old but is now in his fifth season with the team and hasn't seen more than one playoff series win in the iffy Eastern Conference. He also hasn't played in more than 73 games in a season.
It is a shame, too, because Beal is one of the more consistent guards in the NBA, a guy who for his career shoots 42.8 percent from the floor and 40 percent from deep.
It's quickly becoming a case of "what if" as Beal has already missed three games this year and the supposed playoff-ready combo with John Wall isn't inspiring confidence.
Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
9 of 10
One looks at Chris Paul's numbers and sees an MVP, a surefire champion.
Whoops.
Guess what Paul has. Go for it. Fine, here—a roadblock in the form of the San Antonio Spurs. And when it wasn't the Spurs, it was the Los Angeles Lakers. When it wasn't the Lakers, it was the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now it's the Warriors.
And let's not pretend Paul didn't try to catch a break. The poor guy couldn't even get traded to the Lakers.
Paul, who averages 18.7 points and 9.9 assists on his career, is a legend for his patience and professionalism.
Derrick Rose, New York Knicks
10 of 10
What if I told you Derrick Rose's career was an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary in the making?
Because it is.
Rose was the next big thing in the NBA, the other superstar who got to play for his hometown team and even lifted an MVP trophy with the Chicago Bulls in 2011.
Then the train derailed. Rose has played in 39, 10, 51 and 66 games since the earning the prestigious award, his body simply unwilling to hold up for a complete season.
Gone is the guy who averaged 25 points and 7.7 assists. The 28-year-old is trying to salvage his career with the New York Knicks. Through 21 games he is averaging 16.7 points while the team has won 12 games.
If the basketball gods smile on Rose, it'll simply come in the form of his staying healthy.
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