Who are the most controversial athletes in sports history? The passing of Pro Football Hall of Famer O.J. Simpson at the age of 76 got us thinking. His passing was met with both memories of him as an all-time great athlete and the double-murder charges he faced after his playing days.
Simpson was beloved during his time with the USC Trojans and Buffalo Bills. He also played a central role in one of one of the biggest trials in United States history after being accused of murdering his ex-wife and her friend.
Where does Simpson stand among the most controversial athletes in sports history? Who else joins him on that list? We’ll check in on that here.
10. Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman. An idol to some. An outsider to most. A five-time NBA champion. A Hall of Famer. Rodman was best known on the court for his rebounding prowess as well as his antics as a member of the dynastic Chicago Bulls. Off the court and following his playing days, he became a more divisive figure. That includes meeting with North Korea leader Kim Jong Un multiple times. His relationships with public figures such as Madonna add to his legacy as one of the most controversial athletes in sports history.
9. Michael Vick
The No. 1 pick of the Atlanta Falcons back in 2001, Vick entered the NFL as a transformative figure and generational talent. When on the field, he performed at that level during a six-year run as Atlanta’s franchise quarterback. That all came to an end in 2007 after he pleaded guilty for his involvement in a dog-fighting ring. He ended up spending 21 months in Leavenworth Federal Prison.
8. Barry Bonds
On the field, Barry Bonds is considered one of the greatest MLB players ever. He boasts the all-time record with 762 homers. He broke the single-season record with 73 blasts as a member of the San Francisco Giants in 2001. During a four-year run from 2001-04, Bonds averaged 52 homers and 110 RBI while hitting .349. Ultimately, Bonds became one of the most controversial athletes in sports history due to his role in the biggest steroids scandal in sports history. In 2007, he was indicted on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice for allegedly lying to a grand jury. He is not in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
7. Colin Kaepernick
Colin Kaepernick’s NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers started with a bang. A second-round pick out of Nevada in 2011, he replaced Alex Smith as the 49ers’ starting quarterback during his sophomore season. Kaepernick led the 49ers to a Super Bowl that season, putting up a record playoff performance in his postseason debut against the Packers. Ultimately, he’d be out of football a half-decade later after starting the now-infamous national anthem protests to combat racial inequality in the summer of 2016. It remains one of the biggest controversies in modern sports history.
6. Pete Rose
Pete Rose is considered the greatest hitter in MLB history. The “Hit King,” as he was known, sported a career .303 batting average throughout his career. He was a 17-time All-Star in a career that spanned three different decades. Unfortunately, Rose became one of the most controversial athletes in history in 1989 when it was revealed that he was betting on baseball games as a player/manager for the Cincinnati Reds. Rose was banned by MLB for life and is not in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
5. Lance Armstrong
Talk about a fall from grace. In the 1990s, Lance Armstrong was considered one of the greatest athletes in the world. He won a record seven consecutive Tour de France titles. However, his storied career took a turn with the revelation that he had been doping while cycling. This turned Armstrong into a public villain after he was the toast of the world due to his brilliance on the bike.
4. Mike Tyson
Where to start with Mike Tyson? Known as Iron Mike, Tyson is considered one of the greatest boxers ever. He’s a multi-time Heavyweight champion and an icon within the rink. Out of the rink, Tyson’s life has been filled with controversy after controversy. That included the arrest on charges of raping Desiree Washington back in 1991. He was ultimately convicted and sentenced to six years in prison. Within the rink, Tyson is best known for biting off part of the ear of Evander Holyfield during a boxing match back in 1997.
3. Tonya Harding
The scandal that absolutely rocked the sports world. A two-time Olympian and medal winner, Harding was banished from figure skating for life after it was found that she was involved in an attack on fellow Olympian Nancy Kerrigan prior to the 1994 Winter Olympics. She’s since been a major figure in pop culture, including the movie I, Tonya.
Related: 20 worst NBA players of all-time
2. Aaron Hernandez
Aaron Hernandez only played three seasons in the NFL after the New England Patriots made him a fourth-round pick back in 2010. He paired with Rob Gronkowski to form an elite duo for Tom Brady. That all came crashing down when he was charged with double murder in a drive-by shooting in Boston. In 2013, Hernandez was also indicted on the murder of Odin Lloyd. He was found guilty of first-degree murder. The former Florida star committed suicide on April 19, 2017, while in prison.
1. O.J. Simpson
O.J. Simpson is largely recognized as one of the greatest college football players ever. He earned the Heisman Trophy with the USC Trojans before being the No. 1 pick of the Buffalo Bills in the 1969 NFL Draft. Simpson would go on to earn six Pro Bowl trips and make five All-Pro teams. His status as the most controversial athlete in sports history stems from an arrest in 1994 on charges of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman. In the most publicized trial ever, Simpson was found not-guilty in a controversial verdict. He passed away on April 11 of 2024 at the age of 76.