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Carson Palmer and 10 Athletes Who Got Hurt After Signing Big Deals

Carson Palmer and 10 Athletes Who Got Hurt After Signing Big Deals

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Carson Palmer recently signed a huge contract extension with the Cardinals, but now appears to be out for the season with a torn ACL. He's not the first athlete to sign a huge contract and then get hurt. Here are 10 that have experienced the exact same thing.

10. Michael Redd

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10. Michael Redd

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Milwaukee Bucks
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Team: Milwaukee Bucks
Contract Year: 2004
Contract Details: Six years, $91 million
Injury: Torn ACL and MCL in 2009 and 2010

Redd made it deeper into his contract than the other players on this list, but he still wasted the last years of his deal. That kept the Bucks from being as competitive as they could've been with him in the lineup.

9. Ryan Leaf

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9. Ryan Leaf

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Team: San Diego Chargers
Contract Year: 1998
Contract Details: Four years, $31.25 million
Injury: Torn Labrum

Leaf was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1998 draft and suffered a torn labrum just minutes into the Chargers' first training camp session of 1999. This set Leaf on a course to be one of the biggest busts in NFL history.

8. Ricky Williams

Ricky Wiliams #34
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8. Ricky Williams

Ricky Wiliams #34
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Team: New Orleans Saints
Contract Year: 1999
Contract Details: Seven years, $68 million
Injury: Ankle (various)

Even though the Saints spent all of their 1999 draft picks on trading for Williams, he never quite panned out. Ankle injuries initially sidelined him and legal trouble kept him from realizing his full potential.

7. Carson Palmer

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7. Carson Palmer

St Louis Rams v Arizona Cardinals
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Team: Arizona Cardinals
Contract Year: 2014
Contract Details: Three years, $50 million
Injury: Torn ACL (suspected)

While it hasn't been officially confirmed yet, it's suspected Palmer has torn his ACL after signing another big contract. He leaves the 8-1 Cardinals without a legit starting quarterback for the remainder of the season.

6. Derrick Rose

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6. Derrick Rose

Chicago Bulls v Dallas Mavericks
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Team: Chicago Bulls
Contract Year: 2011
Contract Details: Five years, $95 million
Injury: Torn ACL

Rose signed a huge contract with his hometown Bulls, but then went on to be completely injury prone the following season. That culminated with a torn ACL in the first round of the 2012 playoffs and he hasn't been the same ever since.

5. Brian Westbrook

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5. Brian Westbrook

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Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Contract Year: 2008
Contract Details: Three years, $21 million
Injury: Concussions

After becoming a great running back for the Eagles, Westbrook signed a big deal with Philly in 2008. The following year, his problems with concussions continued as he suffered two more and his career was effectively brought to an end.

4. Chad Pennington

Detroit Lions vs New York Jets - October 22, 2006
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4. Chad Pennington

Detroit Lions vs New York Jets - October 22, 2006
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Team: New York Jets
Contract Year: 2004
Contract Details: Seven years, $61.2 million
Injury: Torn Rotator Cuff

Pennington was seemingly the next big thing for the Jets, but things went downhill very shortly after he signed a seven-year extension in 2004. He tore his rotator cuff shortly after signing and dealt with injury issues for the rest of his career.

3. Tracy McGrady

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3. Tracy McGrady

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Team: Houston Rockets
Contract Year: 2004
Contract Details: Three years, $63 million
Injury: Back spasms

Even though back spasms caused his career to spiral downward, McGrady suffered a number of injuries starting in 2005, just one year after signing a huge extension. Those kept him from becoming a bona fide superstar and the Rockets from using their money effectively.

2. Carson Palmer

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2. Carson Palmer

Buffalo Bills v Cincinnati Bengals
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Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Contract Year: 2005
Contract Details: Six years, $118.8 million
Injury: Torn ACL

Believe it or not, Palmer has been here before. Just 10 days after signing a huge extension in Cincinnati, Palmer tore the same ACL he is suspected to have tore this season. If he had waited to sign either contract two weeks later, he would be far less rich than he is now.

1. Ken Griffey Jr.

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1. Ken Griffey Jr.

Reds v Cardinals
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Team: Cincinnati Reds
Contract Year: 2000
Contract Details: Nine years, $116.5 million
Injury: Various

When Griffey came to Cincinnati, the city erupted and he delivered in 2000. However, starting in 2001, he had a string of injuries that kept him from becoming one of the best to ever play the game. Nonetheless, he still dazzled for the Reds for almost a decade during the times he was actually healthy.

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