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15 Professional Athletes Who Have the Worst Luck

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By @BrianKalchik

15 Professional Athletes Who Have the Worst Luck

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It's been said that people make their own luck, but luck is most synonymous with the sporting world. For some athletes, luck just always seems to find them, either good or bad. Injuries, mistakes and jinxes have derailed or hindered many careers, but these unlucky athletes have endured the worst of it in one form or another.

These 15 athletes are the unluckiest athletes in sports today and they make Murphy's Law plausible.

15. Peyton Hillis

Peyton Hillis Giants
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15. Peyton Hillis

Peyton Hillis Giants
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Peyton Hillis had a breakout season in 2010, rushing for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns, good enough to be on the "cursed" Madden cover. Since his cover appearance, Hillis has played for four different teams in three years and has not rushed for more than 600 yards in each of those years. The Madden curse struck yet again.

14. LeGarrette Blount

LeGarrette Blount Patriots
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14. LeGarrette Blount

LeGarrette Blount Patriots
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After having one of the best rushing performances in recent playoff memory last year (166 yards and four touchdowns), former New England Patriot RB LeGarrette Blount was featured on the Sports Illustrated cover right before the AFC Championship game. Against Denver, Blount finished with just six yards on only five carries. Blount became another victim to the "SI Cover Jinx."

13. Brian Hoyer

Brian Hoyer Browns
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13. Brian Hoyer

Brian Hoyer Browns
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As Tom Brady's backup in New England for three seasons, Brian Hoyer finally got his first starting opportunity in the NFL this past season with the Cleveland Browns. Hoyer won both games he started in, but suffered a season-ending injury against Buffalo in Week 5. Now Hoyer will have to fight for his job against rookie Johnny Manziel. Just when Hoyer showed promise, the Browns are already trying to replace him.

12. Amar'e Stoudemire

Amar'e Stoudemire Knicks
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12. Amar'e Stoudemire

Amar'e Stoudemire Knicks
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During Amar'e Stoudemire's career, bad luck and injuries have always seemed to find him. With the Phoenix Suns in 2007, Stoudemire was suspended for a postseason game against San Antonio after leaving the bench during a brawl. As a New York Knick in 2012, Stoudemire suffered a cut to his hand after punching a fire extinguisher box after their Game 2 loss to Miami. Stoudemire's injuries and bad timing have plagued this former star.

11. Eric Gordon

Eric Gordon Pelicans
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11. Eric Gordon

Eric Gordon Pelicans
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One of the bright young combo guards in the NBA when healthy, Eric Gordon has always seemed to be hit by the injury bug. In each of his first six seasons in the NBA, Gordon has failed to appear in all 82 games in a season, and has not started more than 70 in any season. Gordon's injury-prone nature has turned this former promising star into an injury-risk.

10. Jeremy Lin

Jeremy Lin Rockets
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10. Jeremy Lin

Jeremy Lin Rockets
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After Jeremy Lin took New York by storm in 2012, the point guard has been nothing but a flop since. Lin would end his magical 2012 season with a meniscus tear. As a free agent that offseason, Lin would sign with Houston and was poor in back-to-back postseasons. In 2013 against Oklahoma City, the Rockets won two games without Lin and lost four with him. In 2014, Lin made crucial mistakes throughout their series loss to Portland.

9. Drew Brees

Drew Brees Saints
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9. Drew Brees

Drew Brees Saints
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Don't get me wrong, Drew Brees is one of the best quarterbacks of the past decade and a Super Bowl champion, but Brees has had some bad luck tied to him too. In 2005 with the Chargers, Brees had the best season of his career at that point before suffering a season-ending injury. For the Saints, Brees was a victim of the Madden curse as he threw the second-most interceptions in the NFL, and lost to the 7-9 Seahawks in the playoffs.

8. Jay Cutler

Jay Cutler Bears
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8. Jay Cutler

Jay Cutler Bears
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Going back to his Denver Broncos days, Jay Cutler has had his share of bad breaks. After just three seasons in Denver, Cutler was traded to Chicago, where Cutler had zero reliable weapons to throw to early on. Cutler has also been hit by the injury bug as he missed the second half of the 2010 NFC Championship and significant time in two of the past three seasons. Cutler can't seem to catch a break.

7. Adrian Peterson

Adrian Peterson Vikings
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7. Adrian Peterson

Adrian Peterson Vikings
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Adrian Peterson would rush for 2,000 yards in 2012, but the star running back has had his own string of bad luck. In the 2009 NFC Championship game, Peterson fumbled three times in a loss to the Saints. Also, in both 2011 and 2013, Peterson would suffer season-ending injuries. Peterson is still the best running back in football, but even that hasn't helped Peterson escape some bad luck.

6. Mark Sanchez

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6. Mark Sanchez, QB, New York Jets

Mark Sanchez Jets
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The face of the infamous "Buttfumble" in 2012, Mark Sanchez had early success with the Jets, but hasn't had any good luck since. Sanchez would lead the Jets to the AFC Championship game in his first two seasons, but has declined in production each year. Sanchez has also had to deal with the Jets trying to replace him with QBs like Tim Tebow and Geno Smith. Sanchez is now a Philadelphia Eagles' backup.

5. Kevin Durant

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5. Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant Thunder
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I might be in the minority, but I think Kevin Durant has had some bad luck associated with him too. Right after the Thunder lost the 2012 NBA Finals, Durant would lose one of his best friends in James Harden, who was traded to Houston. The playoffs also have had bad luck for Durant. In 2013, Durant would lose teammate Russell Westbrook to injury, and in 2014, the same happened to Serge Ibaka.

4. Greg Oden

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4. Greg Oden

Greg Oden Heat
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Since being chosen over Kevin Durant in the 2007 NBA draft, center Greg Oden has endured four knee surgeries and played in only 82 combined games in two seasons with Portland. Oden joined the likes of former Portland big men Bill Walton and Sam Bowie as players who were riddled with injuries during their Portland careers. After missing three entire seasons, Oden is now back in the NBA this season with the Miami Heat.

3. Alex Smith

Alex Smith Chiefs
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3. Alex Smith

Alex Smith Chiefs
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After years of being called a bust, former No. 1 overall pick Alex Smith finally lived up to the hype in 2011. Smith led the San Francisco 49ers to the NFC Championship Game and was off to a strong start in 2012. Unfortunately, Smith suffered a concussion and was replaced by Colin Kaepernick, who led the 49ers to Super Bowl 47. Smith was traded to Kansas City in 2013, and in the playoffs, Smith lost 45-44 to the Colts after having a 38-10 lead.

2. Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose Bulls
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2. Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose Bulls
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Bulls guard Derrick Rose is in the unlucky category after sustaining season-ending knee injuries in back-to-back seasons. Prior to the 2011-12 season, Rose only missed five games in his entire career. From the 2012 playoffs to the 2013-14 season, Rose has appeared in only 10 regular season games with the Bulls and has not suited up for a postseason game in two years.

1. Tony Romo

Tony Romo Cowboys
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1. Tony Romo

Tony Romo Cowboys
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Tony Romo has been engulfed with bad luck. With the Cowboys down 21-20 and 1:19 left on the clock during the 2007 NFC Wild Card Round against Seattle, Dallas attempted a 19-yard field goal. Romo would botch the snap and was was tackled on the one-yard line trying to score. In subsequent years, Romo would have good stats in the regular season, but no postseason success. Romo, fairly or not, has been the most maligned QB in the NFL.

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