Top 10 Athletes Who Played Through Serious Injuries

Coming into the World Series in 1988, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Gibson was carrying a pulled left hamstring and a swollen right knee after his performance in the National League Championship Series. As such, he wasn’t expected to face the Oakland Athletics, the heavy favorites. But in Game 1, with the Dodgers down 4-3, Gibson came in as a pinch hitter and hobbled up to the plate. With all the tension in the world, he struck a 3–2 backdoor slider into the bleachers, winning the game for the Dodgers and giving them the momentum to win the Series! In 2024, history repeated itself when Dodgers player Freddie Freeman, with an injured ankle, struck a walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the World Series!

According to legend, a piece of Lott was left on the field after this infamous injury. Late in the 1985 NFL season, the San Francisco 49ers faced the Dallas Cowboys. Lott was involved in a nasty tackle on the Cowboys’ running back, Timmy Newsome[a]. Somehow, it caused the 4-time Super Bowl winner to tear off part of his left pinkie finger. Yikes. Afterward, Lott got his crooked little finger taped up so he could play in the playoffs. After his team’s loss, he had a decision to make in the off-season. Either Lott could have a pin inserted to restore the damaged digit, which would cause him to miss games, or have the damaged part amputated and return sooner. Lott went with the latter.

Upon losing to England in the 1966 World Cup final, Beckenbauer was ready to help West Germany win the prize in 1970. After getting revenge against England in the quarter-final, in the semi-final, his side faced Italy in what was known as the “Game of the Century.” Around the 70th minute, disaster struck Beckenbauer when a foul caused him to dislocate his shoulder. With Germany having used their available substitutes, the man who would become known as “Der Kaiser” strapped his injured arm into a sling and continued playing into extra time. While Germany would lose 4-3 to Italy, Beckenbauer would go on to captain his nation to win the 1974 World Cup.

Often, athletes defy the limitations of the human body by competing through a single bad injury. But Bergeron went further. In the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals, the Boston Bruins took on the Chicago Blackhawks. During the Games, something seemed off with Bergeron, as he showed signs of being in pain. However, that didn’t stop him from trying to help Boston win. While his team was unsuccessful, afterward we learned Bergeron was suffering from injuries that seemed impossible for him to be on the ice. On top of a busted nose and a separated shoulder, he had a torn rib cartilage, a broken rib, and a punctured lung! In 2017, when asked if he regretted continuing playing, Bergeron responded he’d do it again.

When older generations say they don’t make athletes like they used to, they could easily be talking about NFL icon Youngblood. In the 1979 Divisional Playoffs against the Dallas Cowboys, the Los Angeles Rams’ legendary defensive end had an issue with his leg. The team doctor informed Youngblood he had broken his tibia (though other sources say it was his fibula). So, he got the medic to tape it up and returned to the field. Youngblood went on to play in the NFC Championship, Super Bowl XIV[d], and the 1980 Pro Bowl with his fractured leg. Unbelievable. Throughout his career, he only missed one game in 1984, racking up 201 consecutive appearances. Decades later, when asked how he managed to do that through the pain, Youngblood stated he had no idea.

At 14, Strug was living the dream by securing a bronze medal in the women's artistic team all-around at the 1992 Summer Olympics. Four years later, she was part of the US gymnastics team known as the Magnificent Seven. However, during the vault for the women's artistic team all-around, disaster struck when Strug landed awkwardly on her ankle, spraining it and injuring the tendon. With the US battling Russia for gold, Strug needed to vault again, this time with a busted ankle, and achieve a 9.762 score to guarantee the top place. Amazingly, Strug completed the vault before collapsing. Even though she got a 9.712, that was enough to win the gold! Strug was carried to the podium to join her team.

When athletes are at the top of their sport, they can do things that shouldn’t be possible. In 2008, Woods had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, forcing him to miss some of the PGA Tour. However, he came back for the US Open. Clearly, something was wrong, as Woods was in a lot of pain. Starting off slow, Woods managed to find his groove as he defeated Rocco Mediate[f], claiming his 14th championship. Days after his stunning feat, Woods announced he had spent the past 10 months with a torn ACL in his left knee and had a double stress fracture in his left tibia. He then had surgery to repair the ligament, which ruled him out for the rest of the season.

Apparently, New Zealand rugby players are built very differently. In 1986, the All Blacks took on France in what became known as the “Battle of Nantes.” Playing in the number 8 position was Wayne “Buck” Shelford, who’d only recently made his test debut for New Zealand. Around 20 minutes into the match, he sustained an injury that would make any man wince. During an aggressive ruck, a wayward studded French boot made contact with Shelford’s nether regions, tearing his scrotum. Yikes. Shelford also lost 4 teeth in the ruck, but that pales in comparison. The future All-Blacks captain asked the physio to stitch up his nasty wound, and he continued playing until a concussion forced him off.

In 2004, Schilling signed for the Boston Red Sox to revitalize them. However, during the American League Division Series against the Anaheim Angels, Boston’s star pitcher tore his tendon sheath. To make sure he was ready for the American League Championship Series, a doctor performed the Schilling tendon procedure, a temporary surgery named after the pitcher to stabilize the ankle and aid with pain. Famously, Schilling had a bloody sock in the ALCS and another in the World Series, which he helped his team win. If you wanted his gross World Series sock, it went up for auction in 2013 and was sold for $92,613.

In 1956, Trautmann played for Manchester City in the FA Cup final against Birmingham City. Late in the game, the goalkeeper’s neck collided with Birmingham's Peter Murphy’s knee. Even though he was sore and dazed, he had to remain on the pitch as substitutes didn’t exist then. When Trautmann collected his winner’s medal, Prince Philip apparently commented on the ‘keeper’s bent neck. After attending his team’s celebration, Trautmann went to the hospital, only to be told it was nothing serious. After a second opinion, he discovered he’d dislocated five vertebrae, one of which had snapped in half. If it wasn’t for the third vertebrae being wedged against the second one, Trautmann could’ve lost his life! Amazingly, Trautmann, after recovering, kept playing until 1964.

Have you ever regretted getting a severe injury during sports and battled through the pain barrier to continue playing? Let us know below!

[b]france beckin-BAO-ur https://youtu.be/ItEgpP2PTrk?si=COR_Ql0V3Fo-Ckna&t=27
dare KYE-zur https://forvo.com/search/Der%20Kaiser/
[c]puh-TREESE bur-zshur-rawn https://youtu.be/QbUQQfRiIOM?si=pMTIa1-WdAqvU3Tv&t=159
[d]14
[e]carrie strugg (rhymes with "bug") https://youtu.be/vsrrfbwnA74?si=ULLiy1807ADasCvT&t=9
[f]rocko mee-dee-eight https://youtu.be/uM8Qvx070tQ?si=w-EBTftUicAVS6KY
[g]SHELL-furd https://youtu.be/p6esrJbAl60?si=28pLDIAJ1qofUDdM&t=22
nance https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Nantes
[h]shilling https://youtu.be/lwjJg3vmM_Y?si=UQjV1g3qd0e7WDhP
[i]burt TROUT-min https://youtu.be/5JkmTQygyWc?si=QHiyJJU1d3YVZPfz&t=6
BIRMING-um https://forvo.com/word/birmingham/#en