Josh Hamilton and 15 Athletes Who Struggled With Drug Addiction

By Seth Lassen

15 Athletes Who Struggled With Drug Addiction

Josh Hamilton Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim — Sadly, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton suffered a drug relapse involving the use of cocaine and alcohol this past offseason. This is the second time his career has been derailed, but he's certainly not the first athlete to struggle with drug addiction.

Here are Josh Hamilton and 15 athletes who struggled with drug addiction.

15. Ricky Williams

Dolphins Ricky Williams

15. Ricky Williams

Dolphins Ricky Williams — Suffering with social anxiety, the former star running back self-medicated by smoking lots and lots of marijuana. Williams led the league in rushing with 1,853 yards in 2002, but is best known for multiple failed drug tests and suspensions. His retirement in 2004 was seen as a conscious decision to choose pot over football.

14. Darryl Strawberry

New York Yankees Darryl Strawberry

14. Darryl Strawberry

New York Yankees Darryl Strawberry — During his career, Strawberry was suspended three times for drug use. After failing to show up for a Dodgers Spring Training game in 1994, he spent 28 days in rehab. In 1999, the four-time World Series champion was arrested for cocaine possession and soliciting an undercover police officer. More recently, he entered a rehab facility in 2001 but was eventually kicked out for having sex with fellow residents.

13. John Daly

John Daly

13. John Daly

John Daly — Daly is far better known for his off-course antics than his on-course performances. Despite being a heavy drinker, Daly won two majors, but went six years without a victory as a result of alcohol abuse. The “bad boy” of the PGA Tour, Daly once claimed he drank a fifth of Jack Daniels per day.

12. Lawrence Taylor

Lawrence Taylor

12. Lawrence Taylor

Lawrence Taylor — He’s one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history, but Lawrence Taylor might have been an even better partier. The New York Giants star was suspended in 1987 and then again the following year after testing positive for cocaine. Since his retirement, Taylor has been arrested twice for trying to buy cocaine from an undercover police officer.

11. Todd Marinovich

Todd Marinovich

11. Todd Marinovich

Todd Marinovich — Marinovich was once a big-time quarterback prospect, but he’s now entirely famous for his drug and alcohol problems. A star quarterback at USC, Marinovich was drafted in the first round of the 1991 draft by the Los Angeles Raiders. His drugs of choice were cocaine, alcohol, marijuana, amphetamines, and LSD. Marinovich reportedly once shot up with heroin and smoked crack in the locker room during half time of a game.

10. Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona of Argentina

10. Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona of Argentina — One of the greatest soccer players of all time, Diego Maradona was addicted to cocaine from the mid-80s through the mid-2000s. The Argentinian earned himself a 15-month ban from soccer after failing a drug test in 1991. Things only got worse after he retired, and he nearly died of a cocaine overdose in 2004.

9. Derek Boogard

Derek Boogard Minnesota Wild

9. Derek Boogard

Derek Boogard Minnesota Wild — Known as one of the best enforces and fighters in the NHL during his playing days, Boogard became addicted to prescription pain medication. Tragically, a mix of oxycodone and alcohol led to his death in May 2011.

8. Andre Agassi

Andre Agassi

8. Andre Agassi

Andre Agassi — Tennis star Andre Agassi is one example of an athlete who played at the very-highest level of his sport despite battling drug addiction. He’s admitted to having done crystal meth frequently during his career, but the always-charismatic Agassi still went on to win eight majors and finish his career as one of the greatest tennis players of all time.

7. Dwight Gooden

New York Mets Dwight Gooden

7. Dwight Gooden

New York Mets Dwight Gooden — After a remarkably dominant and promising start to his career, Gooden quickly began abusing cocaine. He first failed a drug test in 1987 and then failed two more over the next couple of years. After winning the World Series with the Mets in 1986, Gooden failed to appear at the victory parade in New York because he was on a cocaine binge.

6. Roy Tarpley

Roy Tarpley

6. Roy Tarpley

Roy Tarpley — Always a good but not great player, Tarpley’s addictions kept him from making the leap to star player. In 1995, the NBA permanently banned Tarpley for his alcohol abuse.

5. Bob Probert

Bob Probert

5. Bob Probert

Bob Probert — Probert was a successful player by some measures, but best known for being a fighter and enforcer during his 16-year playing career. Unfortunately, he didn’t know how to flip the switch when he left the rink. He became the first player in 40 years to be banned from the NHL, when he was arrested for attempting to smuggle cocaine across the U.S.-Canada border.

4. Theo Fleury

Theoren Fleury

4. Theo Fleury

Theoren Fleury — One of the smallest players in the league during his career, Fleury was big on drugs and alcohol. Fleury was forced to enter the NHL’s substance abuse program in 2001. He later stated that the Manhattan life was too much for him because drugs were available everywhere. Fleury was suspended prior to the 2003-04 season and after playing sparingly that year, he was suspended again at the end of the season, ending his career.

3. Len Bias

Len Bias holds Celtic jacket

3. Len Bias

Len Bias holds Celtic jacket — Just two days after being drafted second overall in the 1986 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics, Bias died of a cocaine overdose in his University of Maryland dorm. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to never play in the NBA.

2. Steve Howe

Steve Howe

2. Steve Howe

Steve Howe — In 1992, Howe became the first player in MLB history to be banned for life due to drug use, so yeah, it was pretty bad. He was suspended seven times during his 17-year playing career and even after retirement, Howe was unable to shake his demons. He flipped his pickup truck in 2006 and crystal meth was found in his system.

1. Josh Hamilton

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Josh Hamilton

1. Josh Hamilton

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Josh Hamilton — Hamilton’s story is unlike many others on this list. After drug and alcohol problems resulted in several suspensions and Hamilton leaving baseball from 2004 to 2006, he returned and was even named AL MVP in 2010. He signed a $125 million contract with the Angels in 2012, but has struggled mightily since. Sadly, Hamilton suffered a drug relapse involving the use of cocaine and alcohol this offseason.

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