Top 10 Athletes Whose Final Performance Was a Terrible FAILURE

#10: Mike Tyson

Pinpointing the exact time that Mike Tyson called it a day is tough, as he still competed in the 2020s to some degree. But for all intents and purposes, his actual pro career finished in 2005 when he lost to the unheralded Kevin McBride by quitting on his stool at the end of round 6. This version of Iron Mike was simply not the same beast that surged through the heavyweight division in the 90s. The hunger simply was not there any more - and at 38, he looked slow, sloppy, and quick to tire. When Tyson took to the mic afterwards and admitted that his heart simply wasn’t in it any more, it was easy to believe him.

#9: Martin Brodeur

21 seasons with the New Jersey Devils were enough to solidify Martin Brodeur’s place as a legend of the NHL. But the less we say about his one year with the St. Louis Blues, the better. The goaltender was a shadow of his former self, and by the time his final season was concluding, he was relegated to third choice in his position. Sure, age catches up with everyone, and a 22-season career is something to be very proud of, but we can’t help but shake the feeling that Brodeur hung around a little too long.

#8: Patrick Ewing

Nobody can doubt just how great the mighty Patrick Ewing was during his fifteen years as a member of the New York Knicks. He was as dominant a center as anyone in the game during his prime. But after leaving his New York home to join Seattle and then finally, the Orlando Magic, the magic - excuse the pun - was gone. Ewing was old and past his best and struggled to replace his younger form. His final season saw him post numbers that were unrecognizable - and in his last ever NBA game, his Magic side lost by 17 points to the Charlotte Hornets. He retired from the game of basketball shortly after.

#7: Mark Spitz

Mark Spitz’s incredible seven-medal performance at the 1972 Olympic Games was a revelation for the sport of swimming. So when he decided to retire at the age of just 22, it came as an unbelievable shock. But despite walking away before he had ever come close to his physical prime, the Mark Spitz story was not finished… not yet, at least. Nineteen years later, at the grand old age of 41, Spitz decided to try to make the 1992 Olympic team. Unfortunately, time had not been kind to his athletic prowess… and he failed, coming in two seconds slower than the Olympic standard. His final retirement came shortly after.

#6: Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane was one of the greatest players of his entire generation - and he looked like he was about to cap off his career with one truly special World Cup campaign. But in the final ten minutes, some vicious taunting from Italy’s Marco Materazzi led Zidane to headbutt him directly to the chest. This led to his dismissal from the game. Italy ended up winning the match after extra-time, taking home the trophy in the process. Little did we know it would be the last time we saw Zizou playing. And while he was officially named the Player of the Tournament, we can’t help but wonder if he could’ve done more in the final ten minutes of the game if he hadn’t been sent off.

#5: Bjorn Borg

When Bjorn Borg decided to retire in 1983 at the very peak of his powers at the age of 26, it was the last thing anyone expected. So when he ended that retirement in 1991, it was a big deal and a source of much anticipation from the general public. However, the game had moved on, and Borg hadn’t even updated his old wooden racket. He failed to win a single match over the next two years. His final ever tour match at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow saw him come the closest to actually winning - but he still lost to Alexander Volkov in a spirited effort.

#4: Ian Thorpe

When you have a special talent, you really need to strike while the iron is hot - or risk losing it. Ian Thorpe was as good as it got in the world of swimming during the 2004 Olympics in Athens. But when he took an eight year hiatus from competition and tried to qualify Team Australia ahead of the London 2012 games, he simply couldn’t do it. The special thing that made him such a dominant force earlier in life was gone. When he couldn’t get onto the Olympic team, he still maintained his interest in competing at major tournaments in 2013 and 2014, but injuries forced him back into retirement.

#3: Ben Johnson

Ben Johnson had one of the most infamous falls from grace of all-time. As a superstar sprinter who appeared to be a generationally-gifted athlete, Johnson was a true superstar-in-the-making, or at least he was until he was exposed as a massive cheat. PEDs were rampant in athletics during his time, but Johnson quickly became a poster-boy for them. However, he did not let this fully deter him - and in 1991, once the heat had died down, he attempted a comeback. After middling performances in '91 and '92, he won the 50 meters in Grenoble in 1993 … but any hopes of a true return to form were dashed when he tested positive for excess testosterone. He earned a lifetime ban and never ran professionally again.

#2: Brett Favre

Brett Favre’s final season with the Minnesota Vikings made it very clear that he was on his way out of the sport. Favre wasn’t the same athlete, nor did the numbers make it look any better. But in his final ever game vs. the Chicago Bears, he got sacked by the opposition’s defensive end, suffering a concussion in the process. As he staggered off the field, little did he know that it would be his last ever appearance in the NFL. He tried to get back out there in the team’s subsequent matchups - but he needed more time to overcome his concussion. Eventually, the season ended, and Favre announced that he was done.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Bernard Hopkins

Knocked Out Of The Ring By Joe Smith Jr.

Franco Harris

Looked Like A Shell Of Himself In His Final Game

Johnny Unitas

Utterly Failed To Impact His Last Ever Chargers Appearance

Ian Botham

International Career Came To An Underwhelming End

Joe Louis

Finished In His Final Fight By The Great Rocky Marciano

#1: Muhammad Ali

There might not be a sadder retirement story than that of Muhammad Ali. Well past his prime and already showing signs of the Parkinson's disease that would define his post-fighting career, Ali was still fighting when he should have been protecting himself. After getting battered by Larry Holmes in his penultimate appearance in the ring, Ali then went out there in 1981 against Trevor Berbick - a fighter he would have mauled in his prime. But this was nearly 40-year-old Ali, and to see Berbick handle him so easily as the rounds went on was a truly terrible sight. When you consider that his brain health was only worsened by more head trauma, you have a retirement that most sports fans would rather forget.

Which truly terrible final performance do you think deserved a spot on our list? Let us know in the comments below.