The world of competitive sports is filled with different characters. There are those who go about their business quietly, keep their heads down and get on with the task at hand, behaving like utter gentlemen in the process. They master their discipline and climb the ranks through their prowess as sportspeople alone. Those Roger Federer type characters, role models and inspirational figures to millions. Then there are those who do things a tad differently.
The sporting world is filled with big egos. Add in the fame, the money, being in the spotlight, and some lose sight of why they became sportspeople in the first place. They become too big for their boots. Heads expand, they become rash and erratic and morph into bullies, not very nice individuals to put it mildly. Some of this behavior is evident when they’re in the limelight, on the sporting stage. But a lot of it occurs behind closed doors and these antics are what makes the headlines. These are 20 professional athletes who were total bullies behind the scenes.
20 Joey Barton
Former English soccer player Joey Barton’s career has been characterized by violence and misconduct. He’s been branded a thug, has an uncontrollable temper, and has let loose on opponents and teammates alike on the pitch and off it. He’s even been to prison for assaulting teammates behind the scenes. Joey Barton is the very definition of a bully.
19 Steve Smith
Steve Smith; it’s a common name and there are plenty of them in the sporting world. But only one can be characterized as a bully, fights with teammates and breaks bones in the process. Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers broke Ken Lucas’ nose in 2008 after an altercation. Six years earlier another teammate ended up with a broken bone after facing his wrath.
18 Kenyon Martin
There’s trash-talking, talking smack to amp a teammate up, get their juices flowing, then there’s just downright bullying and Kenyon Martin has engaged in the latter. In 2003, whilst playing for the New Jersey Nets, it came to light that he had mocked teammate Alonzo Mourning who had a serious kidney infection. This almost led to a training room bust-up.
17 Manny Ramirez
Bullies pick on those who they feel are weaker, below them. Former Boston Red Sox outfielder, Manny Ramirez alienated himself from the team after physically assaulting a 64-year-old traveling secretary. Rather than have a normal discussion about his ticket allotment, he decided to shove him to the ground. Manny was confrontational, a bully, and rubbed fellow players up the wrong way too.
16 Floyd Mayweather
It would’ve been interesting, if not a tad nerve-racking, to be a fly on the wall in one of Mayweather’s training camps. He’s fallen out with family members, takes delight in publicly ridiculing those he feels are inferior to him, has domestic violence and battery convictions and a very colorful personal life.
15 Stuart Broad
Cricket is supposed to be a gentleman’s game. Behind closed doors, it’s another story.
Kevin Pietersen, one of the world’s best batsmen, was ousted from the England setup in 2014. When he left, he revealed some startling facts about what went on behind closed doors in the dressing room. He said there was a bullying culture and that senior bowlers like Stuart Broad ran the dressing room with an iron fist and made others feel inferior, took delight in belittling them.
14 Titus Young
The NFL has its fair share of bullies. Wide receiver Titus Young certainly fits into this category. He’s goaded teammates and management into sacking him, he’s provocative, arrogant and volatile. Titus has been involved in backstage confrontations right through his career, during college football and in the pro ranks. This isn’t even taking into account his legal troubles.
13 Nate Diaz
Former MMA fighter Georges St-Pierre has branded Nate Diaz a bully and with good reason too. He’s shown his true colors in front of the cameras, has had physical altercations with fighters when out of the octagon. Nate has a habit of creating controversy. What you see in front of the cameras is what Nate is like behind the scenes, and that’s a controversial character.
12 LeGarrette Blount
It seems like LeGarrette Blount chose the wrong sport. He’s aggressive, a bully, and likes punching people, even teammates. He’s not a boxer and these incidents didn’t occur during sparring. The American football running back has a punching habit. Friend or foe, he doesn’t discriminate. If you’re in his sights and the red mist rises, get ready to duck.
11 Dereck Chisora
Ironically, David Haye, the man who branded Chisora a bully, is now his manager. He’s helping the boxer become a reformed character. But he’s going to have to perform a miracle if he wants people to forget about all of his past indiscretions. Some of his antics at press conferences can only be described as being abhorrent. Out of the ring, he’s been arrested for abuse, being in possession of an offensive weapon, and has a long and varied rap sheet.
10 Michael Irvin
It’s no secret that Michael Irvin has a massive ego. It hasn’t died down since his retirement either. He’s got a rap sheet as long as his arm, and some are for some pretty despicable crimes. Michael has faced numerous assault charges, and who can forget that infamous incident, Scissor Gate in 1998 when he stuck a pair of scissors into a teammate’s neck?
9 Milton Bradley
Keep getting into fights, threating people, angering teammates, and you get labeled as being a bully. Milton Bradley ended his baseball career as a social pariah because of it. Right throughout his career, there have been multiple instances of fighting with teammates and coaching staff and his anger issues have landed him in hot water with the law too.
8 A.J. Pierzynski
A.J. Pierzynski has a colorful personality, to say the least. He’s a hothead, something of a bully, and even he knows it, acknowledges it. There’ve been fights and disputes with teammates throughout his career. During a victory parade for the White Sox, he thanked the team for “putting up with him.” His manager went on to say: "If you play against him, you hate him. If you play with him, you hate him a little less."
7 Josh Beckett
Former pitcher Josh Beckett divided the teams he played for. He was anything but a professional and engaged in bullying antics behind the scenes. His actions even got a well-respected manager, Terry Francona, fired. Then there are his run-ins with the law which include assaulting people that he doesn’t like.
6 John Terry
John Terry served as England captain for a long time. But when the chickens came home to roost, he was ousted from the captaincy and eventually from the team. John Terry’s the type of man you don’t want around. He had an extramarital affair with a teammate’s wife, has racially abused the brother of another teammate and has shown his aggression numerous times both on and off the pitch.
5 Kyle Busch
In the world of NASCAR, you’ve got to be highly competitive and Kyle Busch is certainly that. But there’s a point where having a massive ego and being overly competitive can lead to downright bullying. Kyle’s had fights, has had a string of heated post-fight altercations, and is definitely past that point.
4 Nick Kyrgios
Tennis has been calling out for some different characters. But the tennis world didn’t mean someone as volatile, unpredictable and self-destructive as Nick Kyrgios. He’s tennis’ bad boy and a number of greats have labeled him horrible for tennis. He’s trashed fellow players, has bullied umpires and ball kids and has continued to hurt innocent people behind the scenes.
3 Ronda Rousey
Ronda Rousey might be a role model to many. But look through her career, what’s happened out of the octagon, and there’s more to her than meets the eye. She uses, let’s say salty language to describe those that don’t fit in with her ideals. Ronda has a chequered past that includes assault charges. And she’s been accused of bullying by the likes of Cris Cyborg.
2 Jordan Spieth
Jordan Spieth has a massive ego and this had led to bullying behind the scenes. He’s done plenty of things in front of the cameras too, such as calling out caddies when he hasn’t faired well. But behind the scenes he has a tough time getting on with fellow golfers. He certainly isn’t a locker-room favorite. Patrick Reed has spoken out about Jordan’s ego and how it’s caused a number of issues over the years.
1 Khabib Nurmagomedov
Khabib is one of the greatest MMA fighters on the circuit. But that doesn’t make some of what he’s done over the years in terms of being physical with people acceptable. He’s been labeled a bully by another bully on this list, Nate Diaz. That’s saying something!
Khabib has also admitted he was a bully. Back in Dagestan, he used to fight on the streets and jack people. That’s where he learned his fighting.
Sources: The Guardian
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