Biggest Athlete Rivalries in Sports History

Competition brings out the best and worst parts of all athletes. But these athletes really couldn't stand each other.

Competition brings out the best and worst parts of all athletes. It fuels the adrenaline required to compete with the best in the world. Sometimes in the heat of the moment, they do or say regrettable things, which linger and linger until they blow up. That’s the case for many of these feuds.

Big egos tend to clash, and you won’t find bigger egos than in professional sports. Emotions explode, feelings get hurt, and bad blood lingers. Fans soak up the gossip and intrigue, and we all get a peek behind the curtain for some insight into what really goes on.

These are the biggest athlete beefs of all time.

25. Brooks Koepka vs. Slow Players (Bryson DeChambeau, J.B. Holmes)

Hurry up. Charles Krupa / AP Photo

Sport: Golf

Year: 2019

Reason for beef: Players taking too long to hit

Bottom line: Brooks Koepka, at the top of his game and the pinnacle of the sport, is not shy about voicing his frustrations on the course. When he was paired with J.B. Holmes in the final round of The Open Championship, he made his concerns known.

Holmes is one of several players on tour with a reputation for slow play. “It’s not that he takes that long,” Koepka said afterward. “He doesn’t do anything until it’s his turn. That’s the frustrating part.”

Bryson DeChambeau came under scrutiny for the same thing, resulting in an incident that was probably far less dramatic than it was portrayed to be, but it was tense nonetheless.

24. Ben Simmons vs. Donovan Mitchell

Watch and learn. Chris Szagola / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Year: 2017

Reason for beef: Ben Simmons being a second-year rookie

Bottom line: Ben Simmons was a highly touted No. 1 overall pick for the Philadelphia 76ers, but he was forced to sit out his first year in the NBA with a foot injury.

Donovan Mitchell wasn’t supposed to be a star and was taken 13th by the Utah Jazz a year later. Mitchell’s rookie campaign took the league by storm, as he averaged more than 20 points per game. Simmons impressed with his versatility, posting 15.8 points, 8.2 assists and 8.1 blocks.

Mitchell took umbrage with Simmons not being a “true rookie” and famously wore a hoodie with the definition of the word “rookie” on it.

Simmons won the rookie of the year award in a landslide, and when asked about it that offseason said, “It wasn’t a f–king race. Did you see the votes?” Maybe still some heat there.

23. Jalen Ramsey vs. Steve Smith Sr.

Ice up, son. @espn / Twitter

Sport: Football (NFL)

Year: 2016

Reason for beef: Jalen Ramsey’s trash-talking

Bottom Line: Steve Smith may be a first-ballot trash-talk Hall of Famer, but that did not stop cornerback Jalen Ramsey from stepping to him when the Jaguars and Ravens faced off in 2016.

Ramsey and Smith jarred at each other all day long, and it didn’t stop when the game ended. Ramsey called Smith an “old man” and said he had no respect for him. Smith clapped back with a tweet storm basically calling Ramsey weak.

Smith took it a step further one day later, going to ESPN to break down some of Ramsey’s tape and critquing the corner’s play.

“When the ball is in the air, what you’re supposed to do — I’ve only been playing for 16 years — is drive down, especially with an old man,” Smith said. “But the problem is, when you drive down, what you have to understand is this old man with a torn Achilles repaired gets going. His enthusiasm to make the tackle is phenomenal right there, so I keep going.”

22. Pete Sampras vs. Andre Agassi

Age before beauty. Andres Leighton / AP Photo

Sport: Tennis

Year: 2010

Reason for beef: Andre Agassi’s book, general principles

Bottom line: Frequent rivals on the court, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi represent what many may think of today as the same divide between Roger Federe and Rafael Nadal.

Sampras had the more accomplished career, but Agassi was no slouch and owned the clay court, which Sampras failed to win a major on.

Off the court, the two were far from BFFs. When Agassi released his autobiography in 2009, he went in on Sampras for Sampras being dull with a “lack of inspiration” and said the two couldn’t be any more different.

In a charity doubles match with Federer and Nadal the next year, the two got into a heated exchange on the court, which included Sampras trying to hit Agassi with a serve.

21. Kevin Durant vs. Russell Westbrook

Remember me? Sue Ogrocki / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Year: 2016

Reason for beef: Kevin Durant leaving for Golden State

Bottom Line: Kevin Durant rocked the basketball world in 2016 when he left the comforts of Oklahoma City to join forces with the team that just broke the NBA wins record the year before.

Westbrook appeared to take it as hard as the rest, projecting mostly radio silence with a few references to cupcakes. The two had words with each other a few times in the first few matchups as opponents, and Jordan Brand played off that with a few ads for Westbrook.

Looks like this grudge has cooled off since, but Durant’s decision definitely drove a wedge in that relationship.

20. Jimmie Johnson vs. Jeff Gordon

This garage isn’t big enough. David Frechette / AP Photo

Sport: Auto racing (NASCAR)

Year: 2010

Reason for beef: Jimmie Johnson overtaking Jeff Gordon

Bottom line: Although technically teammates with Hendrick Motorsports, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon had their share of disagreements over the years.

Gordon was the sport’s top dog in the early 2000s and took the fellow Californian under his wing. Johnson blossomed into one of the sport’s all-time greats, winning the season-long championship five consecutive years and seven overall.

Gordon took exception to the race plan, which frequently used him as Johnson’s backup, guiding him to victory with assists from the front and back. Gordon had enough in 2010 and wanted to step back into the spotlight, saying “he’s been testing my patience and it’s about reached its boiling point” after an incident at Talladega.

Johnson always chalked it up to “competitiveness,” but it’s clear there was a divide between the two brewing for a while.

19. Tiger Woods vs. Sergio Garcia

Here we go again. Charles Rex Arbogast / AP Photo

Sport: Golf

Year: 2000

Reason for beef: On-course rivalry

Bottom line: Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods have had a testy relationship through the years, mostly having to do with what Garcia sees as preferential treatment for the greatest to ever tee up a golf ball.

The tension didn’t come to a head until 2013, when Woods, in a the midst of a late-career renaissance, topped Garcia in The Players Championship. With the two in a heated duel for the game’s “fifth major,” Woods had his second shot to play from the trees, while Garcia was about to hit his second from the fairway.

Woods pulled a 5-wood, indicating he was going for the green, and the crowd surrounding him cheered, which threw off Garcia mid-swing. Garcia was upset afterward. “You have to pay attention to what’s going on because the other guy is hitting,” he said. “You do something when you’re in the crowd, and the crowd is going to respond.”

Woods disagreed with that assessment, claiming he had talked to the marshal prior to hitting. Woods surged on Sunday while Garcia faltered late, continuing his dominance over his Spanish rival.

18. Dwight Howard vs. Kobe Bryant

Don’t be soft. Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Year: 2013

Reason for beef: Lack of success, different personalities

Bottom line: Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard in his prime. Sounds like a recipe for success, right? Not exactly.

Most of the league expected that trio to run the Western Conference, but it never worked out that way. While Nash couldn’t get on the floor with back problems, Howard and Bryant clashed over touches, and Howard’s overall lackadaisical personality. The team struggled to make the playoffs, and Howard shocked the basketball world by signing with Houston that offseason.

When the two faced off, Bryant had some choice words for Howard, calling him “soft” among other not so savory things. Howard took offense, but with more perspective, he now thanks Bryant for that moment, as it helped him grow.

17. DeShawn Stevenson vs. LeBron James

You can’t stop me. Mark Duncan / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Year: 2006

Reason for beef: DeShawn Stephenson’s trash talk

Bottom line: When the Wizards and Cavaliers squared off in the playoffs for the third straight year in the 2008 postseason, DeShawn Stephenson had some thoughts on the “king” and called the young superstar “overrated.”

Mind you, this was after 2006, when the Cavs beat the Wizards in a brutal six games. The next year, James and gang swept Washington, and by 2008, Stevenson was fed up.

James said he wouldn’t respond to the criticism, saying that responding to Stevenson would be like “Jay-Z saying something bad about Soulja Boy.”

Stevenson is currently in the BIG3 league, and James, well, let’s just say he won this beef handily.

16. Jeff Kent vs. Barry Bonds

What could have been. George Nikitin / AP Photo

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Year: 2002

Reason for beef: Big egos

Bottom line: By the time Jeff Kent arrived to the San Francisco Giants’ clubhouse in 1997, he had carved out the reputation of being a bit of a clubhouse disruption after stirring it up with former Mets teammates in New York. Barry Bonds had the reputation for being standoffish and also rubbing his teammates the wrong way, so when Kent entered the fold, it was bound to combust.

In 2002, the two got into an actual fight in the dugout in a game in San Diego. After being separated, the two hit back-to-back home runs.

Had the pair of former MVPs gotten along, things may have worked out differently for both of them, as neither player ever won a title in his career.

15. Jay Cutler vs. Philip Rivers

You still mad, bro? Charles Rex Arbogast / AP Photo

Sport: Football (NFL)

Year: 2007

Reason for beef: Trash-talking during games

Bottom line: Jay Cutler and Philip Rivers were born to be rivals. Both quarterbacks played in the south, and the two were raised to be football players.

On the field, their demeanors couldn’t have been more different. Add in the fact they were drafted by division rivals, and there was bound to be some fireworks.

As the two were slugging it out for the title of best young quarterback, Rivers’ Chargers had the far superior team and trounced Cutler’s Broncos twice in the 2007 season, which included a famous clip of Rivers mouthing off at Cutler. Cutler clapped back a little bit, but couldn’t say much.

The next season, Cutler’s Broncos blew a four-game divisional lead, and he demanded a trade. Had he stayed in the division, Rivers would have had a punching bag for years to come.

14. Tony Parker vs. Brent Barry

With friends like this, who needs enemies? LM Otero / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Year: 2010

Reason for beef: Tony Parker sexting with Brent Barry’s wife

Bottom line: The line above pretty much sums it up. Although Tony Parker and Brent Barry were teammates on the San Antonio Spurs’ 2005 and 2007 championship-winning teams, there is some serious bad blood between the two.

It was revealed during the course of Parker’s 2010 divorce from starlet ex-wife Eva Longoria that Parker had been sexting Barry’s wife on the side, which was a large reason for the split between Parker and Longoria.

The Barrys got divorced as well. And while Parker and Barry’s ex-wife claimed their relationaship never got past the sexting stage, that is a move that will sever any semblance of a friendship.

13. Marcus Williams vs. Bill Romanowski

Marcus Williams after he was attacked by Bill Romanowski at Oakland Raiders training camp in 2003. @shaddieswag / Twitter

Sport: Football (NFL)

Year: 2003

Reason for beef: Practice fight

Bottom line: Bill Romanowski may be one of the biggest oddballs to ever play American sports. The brutalizing linebacker had numerous outbursts and odd quirks during his career, including the revelation he was sending stool samples to be examined for proper nutrient intake.

His “beef” instance is more sad. Marcus Williams got into a tussle with Romanowski when both were playing for the Raiders. Romanowski landed a punch that broke Williams’ eye socket, causing long-term vision problems and ultimately depression.

This one won’t be resolved any time soon.

12. Carlton Fisk vs. Thurmon Munson

You got a problem? @SportsDaysPast / Twitter

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Year: 1973

Reason for beef: Rookie of the Year voting

Bottom line: Thurman Munson and Carlton Fisk were destined to be adversaries, and given the temperature of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry at the time, destined to hate each other, as well.

Munson was the Rookie of the Year catcher for the Yanks in 1970, and two years later, Fisk, catching for the Red Sox, won that same award unanimously. It was that unanimous title that rubbed Munson the wrong way, a fact which he noted often in the press.

The bad blood reached the boiling point when Munson bulldozed Fisk while trying to score on a bunt, resulting in a benches-clearing brawl.

11. Pedro Martinez vs. Jorge Posada

Watch your back. Jim Rogash / AP Photo

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Year: 2003

Reason for beef: Pedro Martinez hitting Karim Garcia

Bottom line: Pedro Martinez, standing 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds soaking wet, played with an extreme chip on his shoulder. He would come inside often and was often near the top of the league in hit batsmen.

With the Red Sox and Yankees embroiled in a tenuous American League Championship Series in 2003, Martinez plunked Yankees outfielder Karim Garcia and proceeded to jaw at the opposing dugout. Pinstripes catcher Jorge Posada took to the top step and shouted back at the Red Sox ace, who pointed to his head as if to say “you’re next.”

Posada got the last word, roping a double down the line in Game 7 that forced Martinez to exit the game, and the Yankees won the series a few innings later.

10. Isiah Thomas vs. Michael Jordan

No love lost here. Fred Jewel / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Year: 1985

Reason for beef: Freeze out at All-Star Game

Bottom line: Isiah Thomas joined the jealousy mob that froze out a young Michael Jordan at the 1985 All-Star Game, and as most fans know, nobody holds a grudge like Michael Jordan.

Jordan blamed Thomas for the incident and, as legend has it, made sure Thomas wasn’t part of the original 1992 Dream Team. When Jordan’s Bulls ripped through Thomas’ Pistons in the 1991 playoffs in four games, Thomas refused to shake hands and stormed off the floor.

Thomas has gone on record recently comparing Lebron James favorably to Jordan, needling the GOAT by saying James was a better athlete by leaps and bounds.

9. Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson

Cold as ice. John Locher / AP Photo

Sport: Golf

Year: 1997

Reason for beef: Tiger is better

Bottom line: It’s that simple. Phil Mickelson’s a legend, but he will never be as great as Tiger Woods.

The two were the most competitive men in the game for much of the late 1990s through the mid-2000s. Woods had almost no friends on tour, while Mickelson likes to stir it up.

Woods really was the first person Mickelson came across that was truly better than him at golf, and that fact, coupled with Woods’ attitude, created an uneasy tension.

Mickelson struggled to win majors while Woods racked them up in bunches, and it wasn’t until now that they are both well past their primes that they have any kind of public relationship.

8. John Terry vs. Wayne Bridge

Wayne Bridge wants no part of John Terry’s handshake. @Squawka / Twitter

Sport: Soccer

Year: 2010

Reason for beef: John Terry sleeping with Wayne Bridge’s girlfiend

Bottom line: The Brent Barry-Tony Parker drama is extra juicy by American sports standards, but nothing compares to what went down with John Terry and Wayne Bridge, who were teammates on Chelsea in the English Premier League.

Prior to the 2010 World Cup, Terry had an affair with Bridge’s girlfriend, with other more scandalous rumors that he got her pregnant and facilitated an abortion.

Chelsea players backed Bridge in the situation, freezing out Terry for some time.

7. Brett Favre vs. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers

This is my team. Morry Gash / AP Photo

Sport: Football (NFL)

Year: 2005

Reason for beef: Brett Favre giving Aaron Rodgers the cold shoulder, constant retiring and un-retiring

Bottom line: From the moment the Green Bay Packers scooped up Aaron Rodgers late in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft, he was on Brett Favre’s hit list.

When Rodgers showed up as a rookie, Favre made it clear it wasn’t his job to mentor the man who would one day take his job.

Favre proceeded to go through the next couple of years wishy-washy about continuing to play, until the Packers had enough and granted Favre his release.

Rodgers took over and turned heads from Day 1.

6. Terrell Owens vs. Donovan McNabb

Let’s play the feud. Rusty Kennedy / AP Photo

Sport: Football (NFL)

Year: 2005

Reason for beef: Super Bowl loss, Terrell Owens contract dispute

Bottom line: Terrell Owens’ impact on the Philadelphia Eagles was immediate and extreme, both in good and bad ways. His first season in Philly was all roses, and he and Donovan McNabb teamed up to be one of the best offenses in football.

Owens broke his leg just a couple weeks before their playoff run started, but worked his tail off to be ready for the Super Bowl. In that Super Bowl, Owens was a stud, catching nine passes for 122 yards. McNabb, however, was gassed at the end, visibly heaving on the field, and the Eagles came up short.

Fast-forward to the offseason, and Owens wants a new contract. McNabb, with his silence, seemingly backed management in the dispute, which set Owens off.

Owens lashed out at the Eagles and McNabb specifically, calling back to that Super Bowl loss. Owens eventually wanted back in the fold in Philly, but the damage was done.

5. Jose Mesa vs. Omar Vizquel

Can’t we all get along? Mark Duncan / AP Photo

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Year: 1997

Reason for beef: Jose Mesa blowing World Series save

Bottom line: Jose Mesa and Omar Vizquel were teammates on the 1997 Cleveland Indians team in the hunt for a World Series title.

In Game 7, Mesa blew the Indians’ one-run lead heading into the ninth, and the Marlins ended up celebrating instead. Vizquel proceeded to criticize Mesa in his book, claiming he lacked passion.

Mesa hit Vizquel the next three times they faced off, saying, “Even my little boy told me to get him. If I face him 10 more times, I’ll hit him 10 times. I want to kill him.”

MLB put a stop to this one before somebody got hurt.

4. Kobe Bryant vs. Shaquille O’Neal

Ego is the ultimate team killer. Paul Connors / AP Photo

Sport: Basketball (NBA)

Year: 2000

Reason for beef: Fighting over who is the franchise player

Bottom line: Shaquille O’Neal came to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996 as their biggest free-agent prize in more than a decade, looking to join the long line of great Lakers big men. A young Kobe Bryant wanted to prove himself after making the All-Star team in just his second season.

The two formed one of the most explosive duos in NBA history, but their relationship started sour and curdled from there. As the dynasty moved on, Bryant saw O’Neal’s lack of training time as laziness, while O’Neal saw Bryant’s drive as threatening to his spot.

Multiple clashes, ups and downs during their run finally culminated in O’Neal demanding a trade in 2004 and getting one to the Miami Heat, when management sided with Bryant long term. The two exchanged words several times after, but now that they’re both retired, it seems they have a mutual understanding.

3. Roger Clemens vs. Mike Piazza

Are you nuts? Gary Hershorn / AP Photo

Sport: Baseball (MLB)

Year: 2000

Reason for beef: Mike Piazza owning Roger Clemens

Bottom line: Mike Piazza was one of the few players immune to Roger Clemens’ powers in the 2000s.

The now-disgraced pitcher had a late-career renaissance, dominating the league. Except Piazza, who averaged .421 with four homers off “The Rocket.”

Clemens got fed up and plunked Piazza in the head during a Yankees and Mets interleague series, and then when they met up in the World Series, “The Rocket” went off his rocker.

Piazza split his bat on a fly ball, sending the head of the bat about 50 feet forward. Clemens picked it up and chucked it at him, resulting in a clearing of the benches.

2. Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier

Take that. stf / AP Photo

Sport: Boxing

Year: 1971

Reason for beef: Muhammad Ali talking trash

Bottom line: Muhammad Ali was well known for cutting down his opponents going into fights, but there was something about Joe Frazier that he really zeroed in on.

Heading into their first clash, Ali called Frazier “ugly” and “an Uncle Tom.” Frazier let his fists do the talking, taking down Ali in the “Fight of the Century” in 1971. Ali won the rematch in 1974, a non-title bout.

Then the two nearly killed each other the following year, with Ali winning the fight but losing in the long term.

Frazier happily took credit for Ali’s deteriorated physical condition later in life, and the two never reconciled.

1. Tonya Harding vs. Nancy Kerrigan

Skating rivals. Merline Summers / AP Photo

Sport: Figure skating

Year: 1994

Reason for beef: Tonya Harding (allegedly) arranged for someone to injure Nancy Kerrigan

Bottom line: This beef has become legendary for so many reasons, but we’re only going to speak about the main event.

Entering the 1994 Winter Olympics, Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding were the two favorites to bring home the gold for the United States. Prior to the competition, a mysterious man assaulted Kerrigan, injuring her knee.

It was later revealed that a duo close to Harding executed the attack, and they took her down with them.

Harding to this day denies it, but it remains a bizarre blip in figure skating history.