Where Are They Now? The Best Athletes From 2010
The legacy of our favorite sports superstars lives on long after their careers are over. Of course, not everyone who wins a Super Bowl or a World Series is remembered as fondly as those bound for the Hall of Fame. For every Aaron Rodgers or Madison Bumgarner, there's 2010's Brandon Lloyd or Billy Butler. These players had breakout years, but never found the sustained success of their incredible counterparts. Have you ever wondered what happened to these former stars? We dug up the answers and this is what we found!
Brandon Lloyd Broke Into Hollywood
Brandon Lloyd is best known for his 2010 NFL season as a wide receiver for the Denver Broncos. He became a break-out star that year, leading the league in receiving with 1,448 yards. Just as quickly as his career took off, however, it landed with a thud.
Lloyd played his last game in 2014 as a 49ers, one year after making a short appearance in his first film. The movie, After Effect, starred Daniel Baldwin and was released directly to DVD. Lloyd has also pursued a career in rap and had one song featured in the video game NBA Ballers 2.
Maurice Jones-Drew Became An Analyst
During his career, Maurice Jones-Drew made three Pro Bowls. In 2010 he ran for 1,324 yards and was seen as the future of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was not. By 2014 he was an Oakland Raider, and by 2015 he was out of the league entirely.
Once Jones-Drew officially filed his retirement papers he jumped into broadcasting, joining the NFL Network as an analyst. In 2019, he joined the Los Angeles Rams broadcasting team as a color analyst.
Billy Butler Is A Softball Star And Dad
Billy Butler was just starting his career in 2010 with the Kansas City Royals when he made a name for himself. Thanks to his stout size and strong work ethic, he was nicknamed "Country Breakfast." Breakfast turned to lunch in 2016 when Butler played his last season.
These days Butler is more than happy to be a great dad and softball all-star. It was reported by The Athletic in 2018 that he was playing rec softball in Idaho Falls and coaching his daughters in the sport at the same time.
Tim Lincecum Semi-Retired To A Quiet Life
Tim Lincecum last pitched in the major leagues with the Anaheim Angels and recorded a 9.16 ERA. Before that, he was the cog that held the Giants' rotation together, and his hot streak at the end of the 2010 season helped bring the first-ever World Series Championship to the city.
In 2018, Tim Lincecum listed his Seattle abode at Escala Tower, which was featured in the 50 Shades of Grey film franchise, for $2 million. Since leaving his fancy home, he's moved closer to his family and is a regular at a local bar called The Attic.
Greg Jennings Is A Part-Time Analyst
Greg Jennings was at the top of his game in 2010 playing for the Green Bay Packers. He was fourth in the NFL in receiving yards with 1,265 and was unquestionably one of Aaron Rodgers' go-to targets.
Jennings retired in 2016 and signed on with Fox Sports in 2018 as a part-time in-studio analyst. He has appeared on shows including Undisputed, The Herd with Colin Cowherd, and Speak for Yourself. During his time with the network, Jennings has also filled in on live NFL broadcasts providing color commentary.
Dwyane Wade Has Become An Advocate
In 2010 Dwyane Wade averaged 25.5 points per game and shot 45.5 percent from three-point range. He was 29 years old. At the end of the 2017-18 NBA season, Wade retired and has since become a surprising advocate for young men.
In particular, in late 2019, Wade shared a picture of his family on Instagram featuring his son in a crop top and painted fingernails. He was attacked online for allowing his son to appear this way. Wade responded by preaching about support, inclusivity, and equality. Whether he meant to or not, the move has made him a role model for modern youth.
Kevin Martin Promotes The NBA On A Global Scale
Kevin Martin was always a sturdy NBA player even if he never made an All-Star game. He averaged 23.5 points per game for the Houston Rockets in 2010-11. That number led the team in scoring.
Martin retired in 2016 after the birth of his daughter. Since then he has become a global ambassador for the NBA. His journey has taken him everywhere from India, where he visited in 2018, to other countries where basketball is becoming increasingly popular.
Jerod Mayo Stayed On The Sideline As A Coach
Jerod Mayo spent his entire professional career with the New England Patriots. His best season was his third season in 2010 where he recorded 114 tackles (175 combined). He also forced one fumble and recovered three.
Mayo retired in 2015 after an eight-year career. Four years later he came back to New England, accepting the position of linebackers coach with the iconic franchise. In his first season, the Patriots had one of the top defenses in the history of the league.
Arian Foster Turned To Music
Arian Foster led the NFL in rushing during the 2010 season with 1,616 yards. The team, unfortunately, went 6-10. They would bounce back the next season with a 10-6 record and Foster rushing for 1,224 yards. As explosive as he was, Foster's body couldn't keep up and injuries effectively ended his career in 2016.
Since retiring, Arian Foster has turned to another passion -- music. He released his first solo album under the name Bobby Feeno in 2018.
Paul Konerko Retired Seamlessly Into Fatherhood
Paul Konerko once said after he retired, "I was gone for so long. I played for 20 years, and 10 years of that I had kids.” Instead of going into coaching or another time-consuming second career, the man who bombed 39 home runs in 2010 settled into life at home.
Supporting his family has also meant raising awareness for Sensory Processing Disorder, a condition his oldest son was born with. In 2016, he helped design a T-shirt to raise money for the STAR Institute.
Ryan Dempster's Life Became More Colorful
Ryan Dempster had an up-and-down MLB career that saw him go from starting pitcher to relief pitcher multiple times. In 2010 he started 34 games, struck out 231 batters, and ended the year with a 3.85 earned run average.
In 2014 Dempster retired and briefly spent time in the Chicago Cubs front office before taking a color analyst job with the MLB Network. While not a regular on for the network anymore, he still appears as a guest on various shows throughout the year.
David West Wants College Basketball Players To Get Paid
David West played 70 games for the New Orleans Hornets in 2010-11 and averaged 18.9 points per game. He settled into life perfectly as a role player for several teams during his career and even won a title with the Golden State Warriors. His biggest achievement, however, is still a work in progress.
West has made it a personal goal to start a paid basketball league for college athletes. It would be called the Historical Basketball League and West would act as its Chief Operating Officer.
David Lee Got Into Venture Capitalism
David Lee was traded to the Warriors in 2010-11 and made an instant impact on the up-and-coming team. Eventually, he would win his first title as a Warrior and continue to move around the league to a few more teams.
After the 2017 season ended, though, Lee decided he would play on his own terms, or begin again. As luck would have it, he got an unexpected job offer, "I actually got a call from a couple of my very good friends that I met while I was a Golden State Warrior -- that run an unbelievable venture capital firm and are doing incredible things in the Bay -- and offered to have me come work for them and have some very exciting things that could happen in the future."
Ed Reed Is Slow Playing His Coaching Career
One of the greatest safeties of all-time, Ed Reed led the NFL in interceptions in 2010 with eight. Playing for the Baltimore Ravens, he was a part of a defense that included another legend -- Ray Lewis.
Since retiring, Reed hasn't been as active as other former players. He spent one year coaching in New England and was brought in to Baltimore in 2019 to help teach the young players (but not as a coach). Reed has made it known he would like to continue his coaching career.
Carl Crawford Started An Entertainment Company
Thanks to a stellar 2010 season that saw Carl Crawford score 110 runs for the Tampa Bay Rays, he earned a huge $142 million contract. When he retired with all that money he decided to invest in another passion - entertainment.
In 2016, Crawford founded 1501 Certified Entertainment and has been the CEO ever since. He has even been credited with discovering Megan Thee Stallion, who recently signed a record deal with Roc Nation. About the discovery, Crawford said, "It was rawness, something different. Her sound was unique."
Jered Weaver Has Become A Twitter All-Star
Jered Weaver retired in 2017 and settled into a life of social media fame. He regularly makes jokes at his own expense and responds to users on Twitter. While he doesn't make money from these interactions, he has gained quite the following on the platform.
In 2010, Weaver logged 224 innings out of the Angels' rotation and finished the year with a 3.01 earned run average. It was his breakout season. One year later, he signed an $85 million contract to stay in Anaheim.
Kobe Bryant Won An Oscar
During the 2009-10 NBA season, Kobe Bryant was still at the top of his game and averaged 27 points per game. In total, Bryant played in 73 contests that season, with Los Angeles going 51-22 when he was on the court.
When he retired, Bryant dove headfirst into the entertainment industry. He quickly turned his good-bye poem, Dear Basketball, into a short film. The animated movie gained widespread critical acclaim and went on to win an Acadamy Award in early 2018.
Carlos Boozer Is Keeping The Dream Alive
The 2009-10 NBA season saw Carlos Boozer play at the peak of his career. He averaged 19.5 points per game for the Utah Jazz while playing 32 minutes a game and appearing in 78 games.
Five years later Boozer was out of the league. Three years after that he was back to basketball playing in the BIG3 league. The three-on-three league features former NBA stars in smaller half-court games. In 2018, Boozer was a contributing member to the Championship winning team.
Kyle Orton Has Political Aspirations
Kyle Orton had one of his best years as a starting quarterback in 2010. Stepping under center as a Denver Bronco, he threw 20 touchdowns and completed 59 percent of his passes while throwing for over 3,500 yards.
In 2014, Orton announced his retirement and has been planning his next move ever since. Coming from a political family, he has said that running for United States Congress is something he would like to do one day. He has also published political essays on various websites.
DeAngelo Hall Wants To Move Up To The Front Office
DeAngelo Hall had a bounce-back year of sorts in 2010. He played and started in all 16 games for the first time in three seasons while totaling 95 tackles. In once game caught four interceptions off Bears' QB Jay Cutler.
In 2019, Hall revealed via a text message to NBC Sports Washington that he wants to join the Redskins' front office. The text read, "I've always wanted to be a part of this front office and help make the Redskins a dominant team again."
