20 Hilarious Sports Moments That Went Viral This Decade
Top 20 Funniest Viral Sports Moments of the Last Decade
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were counting down our picks for the most hilarious moments in sports that captured the public consciousness over the last 10 years.
#20: The Phillie Phanatics Antics
The 2020 season looked very different for Major League Baseball and every other sport thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. With no fans in attendance, many teams instead opted to fill their stands with cardboard cutouts of season ticket holders and famous faces. Enter the Phillie Phanatic. The fuzzy green bird had no actual humans to play off of, so he had to make his own entertainment. This included ordering pizza, which he wasnt able to pay for, and attempting to share it with the two-dimensional people in the seats. No doubt he was extremely relieved when at least some fans were allowed in the following season.
#19: Pommel Horse Superman
America fell in love with Stephen Nedoroscik, a.k.a. Pommel Horse Guy, during the 2024 Olympics. He captured everyones attention before he even performed his routine, as he sat on the sidelines for hours waiting for his event, sporting his distinctive black glasses and zen attitude. When his turn finally came, he took off his glasses, hopped onto the horse, and swung his body around like he was born for it. The removal of the glasses, combined with the near-perfect performance, immediately drew comparisons to Clark Kents transformation into Superman. Wed say the comparison was deserved.
#18: Mustard on the Bench
NHL fans know that hockey players are a different breed. After all, is there any other sport where you might glance over at the bench and see a player inhaling a single packet of mustard? Winnipeg Jets player Mark Letestu went viral during a 2019 preseason game when the camera caught him doing just that. The internet was disgusted, but also intrigued. When asked about the unconventional snack, Letestu said it helps with cramping, and it works better than pickle juice or any other standard remedy. He might be right, since hes not the only hockey player spotted chugging the condiment on the sideline.
#17: J.R. Smith Tries to Dribble out the Clock
Ah, the sweet taste of victory knowing your team can just hang onto the ball and let time run out. But that doesnt exactly work when the score is tied. In 2018, the Cavaliers faced the Warriors in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. With less than five seconds to go and the Cavs down one point, George Hill stepped up to the free throw line. He made the first shot but missed the second, and J.R. Smith came down with the rebound. Instead of going for an easy hook, or passing the ball to LeBron, or calling timeout, he dribbled out to mid-court. Everyone immediately assumed he had thought the Cavs were actually ahead. Smith later denied it, but no one really believed him.
#16: Escalator Escapade Gone Wrong
Lots of people make foolish decisions after having a few at the pub. But most of them probably dont regret their choices as much as Freddie Andrews. He went viral back in 2017 after his friends videoed him sliding down the metal divider between two escalators in the London Underground. It did not go well. Andrews, who for some reason was dressed in a complete soccer uniform, had just been watching the World Darts Championship. He later told British news that hed had about 10 pints prior to the stunt. His friends posted the video to social media, where it racked up over 10 million views in just a few days. Thats an unfortunate way to get famous.
#15: Fan Loses Two Meals in One Game
This guy really wanted to catch a foul ball. After this 2019 game between the Dodgers and the Giants, this clip was replayed on MLB Network roughly a bazillion times. When a foul ball heads his way, the Dodgers fan leaps forward to catch it, flinging his hot dog and french fries all over the seats in the process. The triumphant look on his face seems to say that it was worth it. But apparently one souvenir wasnt enough. Just one inning later, another foul comes his direction. This time when he dives for it, he loses a slice of pizza, which lands right in the lap of the woman in front of him. Maybe next time he should eat before the game.
#14: Mascots Birthday Blunder
We didnt know sports mascots even had birthdays, but apparently they do, and this is how Miami Heat mascot Burnie celebrated his in 2018. He wanted to set a world record for mascot jumping but it didnt quite work out the way hed hoped. He attempts a front flip over a lineup of other mascots and lands squarely on the last three. Its hard to say who gets the worst of it: Doc McStuffins, Fun Ship Freddy, or Stanley C. Panther. Perhaps the better question is why they agreed to this in the first place.
#13: The Casual Sharpshooter
They say no one remembers who came in second, but tell that to Yusuf Dikeç. Better known as the Turkish sharpshooter with the incredibly casual stance, he earned a silver medal while accidentally creating internet gold. While other shooters were decked out in fancy eyewear and elaborate protective gear, Dikeç stepped up to the plate with just some earplugs. With one hand in his pocket, he looked like the coolest cat in the club. Other athletes started mimicking Dikeçs pose in their celebrations. The moment inspired some fantastic memes and had the Twitterati calling him the real John Wick.
#12: Twice the Bad Luck
We thought cricket was a no-contact sport. During the Australian Big Bash Leagues 2019 season, English cricketer Liam Livingstone had one very memorable turn. In a match against the Melbourne Renegades, the bowler manages to nail him in the groin not once, but twice. Best of all, Livingstone is micd up, so we get to hear every groan of agony. Even the announcers are having a hard time keeping it together. At least Livingstones team, the Perth Scorchers, won the match. Fortunately he suffered no permanent damage, though he did take another low blow almost exactly a year later.
#11: Stanley Cup Gets Delivered to the Wrong House
Unlike the NFLs Lombardi Trophy, theres only one Stanley Cup, and its well over a hundred years old. A long-standing tradition dictates that when a team wins the championship, each player gets to keep the Cup for one day. However, after the Colorado Avalanche won in 2022, the Cup made an unscheduled stop on its way to the home of team captain Gabriel Landeskog. Just a few days after the final game, Denver resident Kit Karbler and his husband Dmitri Rudenko were surprised to see a large delivery truck pull into their driveway. The Cups chaperones quickly realized they were at the wrong address, but they were kind enough to let Karbler and Rudenko spend a few minutes with the priceless trophy.
#10: Down Goes Anderson!
This ordinary baseball game between the Guardians and the White Sox turned into a no-holds-barred brawl, and the Cleveland radio broadcaster didnt miss a beat. Guardians player José Ramírez slides into the base, then immediately gets into second baseman Tim Andersons face. In response, Anderson throws down his glove and puts up his dukes. Radio play-by-play caller Tom Hamilton switches from baseball to boxing commentary without a hitch. The benches clear, and after all is said and done, six people are ejected, including the original combatants and both teams managers. Anyone who says baseball is boring has clearly never seen a game like this.
#9: Dog Joins a Soccer Match and Gives a Press Conference
A 2017 game between Argentinian teams San Lorenzo and Arsenal de Sarandí was interrupted by a very enthusiastic fan. As San Lorenzo lines up for a free kick, a small dog dashes onto the field and goes after the ball. This playful pup is clearly having the time of his life, unlike the poor cat who got caught on the field during a Cowboys-Giants game in 2019. It takes a lot of people to finally get the dog off the field, but thats not the end of his moment in the spotlight. After the game, a reporter interviews the dog, who doesnt have much to say but does think that microphone looks pretty tasty.
#8: Mite of the Nite and His Pet Tarantula
Now thats how you do a post-game interview. This 8-year-old youth hockey league player also known as a mite put up an incredible performance during intermission at a 2019 Capitals game. Jackson Friedlander scored two goals and won over the crowd when he sat down with reporter Sandra Draganoiu after the fact. Jackson shared his hockey philosophy, shouted out his parents, and discussed the eating habits of his pet tarantula, Michael. The endearing interview made him an overnight star and was even picked up by national news. Pretty impressive for a player who describes himself as shy.
#7: Eagles Fan Blasts the Team in His Obituary
Jeffrey Riegel was a diehard Eagles fan pun intended. He was known among his friends and family for his legendary sense of humor, and it carried on even after he was gone. Riegel passed away from cancer in August 2017, just a few months after watching his team miss the playoffs for the third year in a row. He used his own obituary to take a final parting shot at the Birds. It noted that he requested to have 8 Philadelphia Eagles as pall bearers so the Eagles can let him down one last time. He couldnt have known that the Birds would win their first Super Bowl the following season, but we like to think he was cheering them on from heaven.
#6: Everybody Loves Gritty
The Philadelphia Flyers went without a mascot for decades. When they finally introduced Gritty for the 2018 season, the internets reaction was intense. Some commentators found him terrifying, others thought he was hilarious, and still others were just confused. What exactly is this furry orange monster supposed to be anyway? Grittys antics just added fuel to the fire. He was hostile. He was combative. He played by nobodys rules but his own. He stole the spotlight and made news all over the country; suddenly, people who had zero interest in hockey were paying attention. He won the hearts and minds of Americans except, of course, Penguins fans.
#5: Mike Tysons Full Moon
The 2024 boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson was hyped for months, although the fight itself ended up being a bit of a letdown. The pre-fight shenanigans, on the other hand, were extremely entertaining. After Paul taunted Tyson at the weigh-in, Tyson slapped the YouTuber in the face. But our favorite moment was Tysons locker room interview just before the fight. After he finished talking to reporters, the former undisputed heavyweight champ flashed a little more skin than he intended to. Its hard to know whether it was intentional on the part of the cameraman. But Netflix had no shame in plastering the video all over social media.
#4: A Comedy of Errors
Everything that can go wrong, does go wrong on this play. Rockies player Carlos González hits a flyball, which bounces off the glove of Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton. He and another Red stumble over each other as they chase after the ball, then toss it to infielder Scooter Gennett. Meanwhile, González falls down while running, giving the Reds another chance to get the out. However, Gennett drops the ball, leaving González safe at second base. The fans, unsurprisingly, are not impressed. A tweet from baseball analyst Dylan Anderson sums it up best: everyone forgot how to baseball.
#3: Tennessee Fans Take the Goalposts out on the Town
You can say one thing about college football fans: Theyre enthusiastic. In 2022, after the Volunteers beat Alabama in a nail-biter, the fans decided to take a little souvenir. A sea of orange stormed the field and the goalposts came down. In an impressive display of coordination, they get the posts out the doors and into the street. From there, they stop at several bars with their giant keepsakes before tossing them into the Tennessee River. And this wasnt the only time a Tennessee team took down the goalposts after beating Bama. In 2024, Vanderbilt knocked off the number-one ranked Crimson Tide. Fans stole the goalposts and marched them two miles to the Cumberland River, where they were dumped into a watery grave.
#2: Cristiano Ronaldos Statue
This Portuguese footballer is as big as they come in the world of pro soccer. After he helped his home country win the European Championship in 2016, the government decided to give him a unique honor. They renamed the Madeira airport to Aeroporto Cristiano Ronaldo and commemorated the occasion with a bronze bust of the star. Unfortunately, it didnt quite do Ronaldo justice, and the internet had a field day with it. Ronaldo himself was too classy to respond to the mockery. Former Miami Heat player Dwyane Wade suffered a similar fate in 2024. The team erected a statue of him outside its arena, and the reactions were mixed at best.
#1: Raygun
If you were on the internet at all in the summer of 2024, you know exactly who were talking about. Breakdancing made its debut on the Olympic stage, and no competitor got more attention than Rachael Gunn. Her bizarre performance had spectators and judges scratching their heads, and the late-night hosts had a field day with it. While some of her fellow breakdancers were quick to distance themselves from her, the Australian Olympic Committee stood behind Raygun. No matter what your opinions of her are, she delivered some incredibly meme-worthy moves at one of the most memorable Olympics in history.
Which of these viral sports moments cracked you up? Let us know in the comments below.
