Four Prominent Athletes Who Failed To Emulate Same Success In Other Sports

It takes incredible talent and skill, coupled with years of dedication and hard work, to excel in any particular sport.

It takes even more than that to be able to stand out in two or more sports.

Michael Jordan and Manny Pacquiao--two of the biggest names in the sports world--are unquestionable legends in their respective fields, both winning multiple championships and claiming various accolades.

Jordan and Pacquiao both also tried their hand in other sports, but unfortunately, they just could not replicate the same success.

Here are four athletes who tried--and failed--in other athletic fields.

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan is viewed by many as basketball’s "Greatest of All Time," and it’s hard to argue.

Jordan is a six-time NBA champion, five-time MVP, multiple-time All-Star, and one of the most influential players to ever set foot on a basketball court.

In 1993 however, Jordan decided to retire from basketball and pursue a career in baseball. He played for the Birmingham Barons in the minor leagues and batted at .202 with three home runs.

True, many believe that Jordan showed potential towards the end of his baseball days, but it was still far from the success and the skill that he showed with a basketball in his hands.

Manny Pacquiao

Like Jordan, Manny Pacquiao is also widely considered as the best athlete in his sport.

Pacquiao is boxing’s only eight-division world titleholder and still a sought-after opponent even at 42 years old.

In 2014, Pacquiao--an avid basketball fan--was named as playing coach of the Kia franchise in the PBA, the Philippines’ local basketball league.

Pacquiao was drafted 11th in the 2014 PBA draft and played 10 games throughout three seasons, averaging 5.9 minutes a game and 1.3 points per game.

The Filipino boxing icon retired from the PBA in 2018. To be fair, his stint with the PBA wasn’t a career change, but rather something that he’s just always wanted to be able to do.

Tim Tebow

A stellar collegiate career helped Tim Tebow get drafted into the NFL as a high-risk, high-reward prospect.

While he started out slow in his first season with the Denver Broncos, Tebow started to flash some of his potential in his sophomore season.

Tebow started in 11 of the 14 games he played in the 2011 season, completing 1729 passing yards on 126 completed passes.

His NFL career didn’t last long, however, as he was out of the league by 2012. In 2016, Tebow would transition to baseball, playing for various New York Mets affiliate squads.

Tebow would never make it up to the big leagues, and he would retire from professional baseball in 2021.

CM Punk

Inside the squared-circle, CM Punk was one of the absolute best. He became an indie wrestling star before eventually signing with WWE, where he also found tons of success.

A multiple-time world champion in WWE, Punk authored one of the most memorable programs in recent history when he threatened to walk out on the promotion at the height of his popularity.

He went on to have a 434-day reign as WWE Champion, one of the longest in recent memory. In 2016, after a long build-up, Punk made his MMA debut, competing in the UFC as a welterweight. He would go 0-2 in the promotion and has not competed since 2018.