Pursuing a career as an athlete is a double-edged sword at the best of times. The lifelong commitment, arduous training routine, and wear and tear mean that athletes can burn out early on unless they take the proper precautions.
After serious injuries, financial losses and even violence, many people believe that once an athletes career is over, it’s over. However, these 25 athletes who made remarkable comebacks against all the odds tell another story entirely.
1 – Tommy John
Tommy John was loved and cherished by many in the world of Baseball. He held the best record of any pitcher in the National League, an accolade he was very proud of. He was also credited with bringing the Dodgers back from the dead. However, when his arm gave way and he injured his ulnar collateral ligament, John was given a 1 in 100 chance of recovery by doctors. But after going through a special new procedure which fixed that ligament, this man went on to win 164 more major Baseball games.
2 – Josh Hamilton
When Josh Hamilton was spotted by Baseball scouts, they knew they were onto a winner. Displaying massive talent, Hamilton was a first draft pick from his early days and also enjoyed a $4 million bonus on his first signing. However, a tragic car crash almost took all of Hamilton’s dreams away from him. He then got into substance abuse as a result of his crash and even tried to overdose on more than one occasion. But even though recovery was slow, Hamilton made a brave comeback to the major league.
3 – Seabiscuit
Our next comeback hero for today is not even human, but he did show remarkable strength to make the comeback that he achieved. When this little racehorse ruptured a tendon everyone assumed his career was well and truly over. He was retired to a ranch for nine months where he wandered a paddock, became fat and tried to race deer along the fences. During that time, however, this horse made a recovery and his owner gave him a shot at the Santa Anita “Hundred Grander.” Seabiscuit won that race and even clocked the fastest mile and a quarter in track history.
4 – Magic Johnson
When Johnson was tested HIV positive, he ended his career to be with his family and friends as much as possible. But he always felt lacking in his life and was desperate to return to the court. He initially tried to go into coaching, but that did little for him so he found his way back to the Basketball court and played some amazing games which no one could believe he was able to pull off.
5 – Pelé
Considered to be the best soccer player of all time, this Brazilian star saw much controversy during his career. As the youngest athlete in the 1958 World Cup, the then-17-year-old dazzled the world with his amazing skills and soccer abilities. But in 1966, the Portugal team decided to take him out on the soccer field with a brutal tackle. Everyone said it was the end of this star, but he had other plans. In 1970, Pelé made a fourth trip to the World Cup where he helped his team to another victory.
6 – Carson Palmer
This former Bengals superstar was a much-loved player and athlete for many years. When he injured himself at the peak of his career, it was a triple-whammy. When Palmer tore his ACL, MCL and dislocated his knee, everyone assumed it was the end of his career forever. But having undergone major reconstructive surgery using donor tissue and skin grafts, Palmer made an amazing comeback the very next season with a QB rating of 93.9 percent!
7 – Andre Agassi
This tennis superstar was ranked at number one in the world back in 1995. However, a nasty wrist injury and poor performances on court sent Agassi into a deep rut; one he couldn’t extricate himself from for a while. However, having slipped to a world ranking of 140 by 1997, Agassi soared back to fame, ranking at number two in the world of tennis in 2002. He was also the oldest player in history to reach that rank.
8 – Michael Jordan
Having been one of the best Basketball players in the world, Jordan chose to retire from his beloved sport in 1993. But then, just a year-and-a-half later, Jordan came out with those two priceless words which got fans excited; “I’m back.” The next three seasons were a roaring success for Jordan who led the Bulls to three consecutive victories.
9 – Jim Morris
Back in the early 1980s, Jim Morris was a natural choice for the amateur baseball draft. But according to an article at the time, Morris suffered a serious arm injury which he needed several operations on. One involved completely replacing the tendon in his left elbow with one from his right ankle. However, nothing worked, and Morris had no choice but to retire from Baseball. But even though he never returned to league success, he dazzled scouts at an open MLB tryout where he threw 12 consecutive 98 mph pitches!
10 – James Braddock
Having enjoyed much success in the boxing ring, this Depression Era fighter lost a bunch of matchups which essentially ended his career. He couldn’t even make a living boxing anymore and needed to go on welfare at the time. He made a stunning comeback though and went on to win many fights including the biggest upset in boxing history when he beat Max Bear by decision after 15 rounds.
11 – Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona was an amazing soccer player on the field but is best-remembered for the karate kick he administered to a heckling spectator in the stands. As a result of that kick, Cantona was banned for a full eight months by the Football Association in the UK. However, when he returned to the pitch, he was on top form and led his team, Manchester United to victory in the esteemed FA Cup Finals.
12 – Greg Lemond
The remarkable comeback story of Greg Lemond is an inspiring one. Having won the Tour de France, Lemond broke his wrist during a race, but that was the least of his problems. During a turkey hunting trip with his brother-in-law, Lemond was shot by accident. He lost three-quarters of his blood en route to the hospital, and even though he had a shattered finger and 35 pellets still in his heard and liver, he recovered over a two-year period and came back to win the esteemed Tour de France twice.
13 – Mario Lemieux
Moving to hockey now as we take a look at the amazing comeback of prodigy Mario Lemieux. Having played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, this player shattered team and personal records almost on a daily basis. He then suffered a herniated disk and contracted a rare infection, needing to miss several games. While no one was sure if this man would ever make a comeback he did and in style. When he finally returned he was as good as ever and went on to break even more records.
14 – Ben Hogan
Injuries in the world of Golf are rarer than in other contact sports although they do happen. Tragically, Hogan was hit was a bus in fog on a cold West Texas Highway one day, where he suffered a broken clavicle, fractured ribs, a complex pelvic fracture, facial and eye injuries, a fractured left ankle and a soft-tissue injury to his left leg. Amazingly, not only did Hogan amaze doctors by learning to walk again, he went on to win some Golf championships too.
15 – Rocky Bleier
As the captain of the Norte Dame football squad, Rocky Bleier was drafted not once but twice. The first time was by the Pittsburgh Steelers, while the second was by the United States Army due to conscription. In 1969 in Vietnam, Bleier took a bullet to the leg and then a grenade exploded right next to him. He was eventually evacuated to a medical field camp and then taken to Japan for surgery. After 100 pieces of shrapnel were removed from his foot, Bleier made a recovery and went on to win four Super Bowl rings to match his Purple Heart medal.
16 – Lance Armstrong
Having signed a lucrative contract at the top of the cycling world, Armstrong was devastated when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. The cancer was advanced and had also spread to his abdomen, lungs, lymph nodes, and brain. While Armstrong was given a slim chance of survival by his doctors, he never stopped cycling and even secured sponsorship with a new team going on to win some more minor titles during his career.
17 – Frank Mir
The year was 2004 when powerhouse, Mixed Martial Arts expert Frank Mir won the UFC Heavyweight Championship. However, just a few months later and Mir was hit while on his motorcycle after a driver ran a red light. Having flown 100 meters into the air, no one thought Mir would survive the crash. When he was unable to return to the UFC, he was stripped of his title. But Mir returned to the ring a year later and secured a first-round win against his opponent in 2007.
18 – Tony Conigliaro
Conigliaro was accident prone from the time he started his career in Baseball. From a young age, he was already smashing records but also his arm, toes and shoulder. During one game he took a pitch to the face and was left with an irreparable hole in his retina. Over the next year-and-a-half his vision improved and he returned to the field in style. He was even named comeback player of the year by The American League.
19 – Muhammad Ali
When Ali consciously objected to being drafted to fight in Vietnam, he was promptly suspended from boxing for a period of three-and-a-half years. Having cleared his name in a long and complex legal battle, Ali returned to boxing but lost “The Fight of the Century” against Joe Frazier in 1970. His comeback was solidified when he beat Frazier later in the same year and then went on to beat champion George Foreman.
20 – Monica Seles
Back in 1991, Monica Seles was ranked number one in the world of tennis and was the youngest player to achieve such an accolade. But in 1993 at her peak, a deranged man in the crowd watching her play reached over and stabbed her in the back on the tennis court. Seles spent a while recovering, but when she finally bounced back, she went on to win the Canadian Open in 1995 and the Australian Open in 1996 in style.
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