In the world of professional sports, athletes, coaches, and owners are constantly making headlines, but sometimes, it’s not for winning or losing.
When people in the world of sports say the wrong thing, cheat, break the rules, or make a wide variety of other errors, they will not only be dragged through the mud in the media, but they’ll also have to pay a hefty fine. These are nine of the biggest fines in sports history and what people did to deserve them.
Kobe Bryant – $100,000
One of the biggest names in basketball, Kobe Bryant, is generally revered as a beloved superstar, but he wasn’t exactly perfect.
In 2011, Kobe shouted at a referee after receiving a technical foul, and he used a homophobic slur that got him a $100,000 fine.
Bill Belichick $500,000
Head coach of the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick, is known for his incredible skills as a coach and his less-than-sunny demeanor.
But Belichick wasn’t fined for refusing to smile; he had to pay the NFL half a million dollars for illegally recording the New York Jets’ sidelines in 2007. In addition to the fine, the Patriots lost their 2008 1st round draft pick, which is quite the penalty for any football team.
Ricky Williams $650,000
Famous football star Ricky Williams had to pay a whopping $650,000 in 2004 after his drug test came back positive for marijuana.
And a few years later, the Miami Dolphins player once again tested positive for cannabis; this time, he was only suspended for the entire season.
Mark Cuban $600,000 & $750,000
Billionaire Mark Cuban has had to pay not one but two expensive fines for his illegal actions as the owner of the NBA team, the Dallas Mavericks.
He’s been charged with intentionally losing games twice, also known as “tanking,” and though Cuban doesn’t believe he did anything wrong, he still had to pay the NBA $600,000 and then $750,000 for his choice to do so.
Patriots $1 Million
After getting caught recording the Jets, Bill Belichick apparently didn’t learn his lesson. He, QB Tom Brady, and the rest of the NE Patriots really got themselves into trouble when they were caught deflating their footballs.
The scandal was one of the biggest in NFL history, and the Patriots had to pay the price: Brady was suspended for four games, and the team had to pay the league a $1 million fine.
Mike Tyson $3 million
As one of if not the most famous boxers in the world, Mike Tyson is known for his strength, skills, and strange cannibal-like tendencies.
Tyson had bitten a competitor in the ring before, but in 1997, he literally bit off his competition’s ear and spit it into the ring. This disgusting display not only cost Tyson his boxing license but also a huge fine of $3 million.
Deshaun Watson – $5 Million
Washington Commanders’ quarterback Deshaun Watson was fined $5 million by the NFL recently due to violating the league’s Code of Conduct.
When several women came forward with accusations of abuse toward the QB, the NFL didn’t hesitate to slap him with a serious fine. It seems that the NFL is cracking down on its Code of Conduct and wants all its players to know.
Ron Artest $5 Million
One of the craziest stories on this list is that of Ron Artest, a basketball player for the Detroit Pistons who got so aggravated during a game that he started fighting a fan on the court.
For the altercation, Artest was suspended for the entire season and had to pay a $5 million fine to the NBA for what people called the “Malice at the Palace” brawl.
Alex Rodriguez $35 Million
The largest fine in sports history is undoubtedly the $35 million that Alex Rodriguez had to pay the MLB in 2013.
The baseball star was caught using performance-enhancement drugs or steroids after years of being one of the best players in the league. And while the scandal certainly cost him a small fortune, it also cost him a place in the Hall of Fame and in the hearts of his fans.
