Georgia is another state known for their plethora of quality NFL athletes including the likes of Mel Blount, Ray Guy, Calvin Johnson, John Hannah, and so many more. But, they still weren't as culturally and socially impactful as the legendary Jim Brown. Prior to becoming a standout football player at Syracuse, Brown was a multi-sport phenom dominating in sports like baseball, track, basketball, and lacrosse. In 1957, Brown was drafted 6th overall by the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Draft and would spend his entire nine-season career with the Ohio-based franchise.
Every season Brown was in the league, he was infited to the Pro Bowl, Brown led the league in rushing in eight out of the nine seasons he was an active player, and helped the Browns earn an NFL Championship in 1964. In 1971, Jim Brown was a first-ballot Football Hall of Fame inductee. Following his career, Brown pursued acting and advocated for the rights of the Black community starting successful initiatives like the Black Ecconomic Union (BEU) and Vital Issues. While he might be one of the greatest football players of all-time, he's definitely one the greatest humans in existence as well.
Not all celebrities have fame and fortune, some are just famous – and in a ton of debt. They came from rags to riches, then went back to rags. Whether they’ve filed bankruptcy, ended up in court, or just can’t stop spending, celebrities mismanage their money just like everyone else. They just hide it well.
50 Cent coined the term “wanksta,” then “partied like it was his birthday” until he filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2015. The rapper was said to be anywhere between $10 million and $50 million in debt. In 2016, a federal bankruptcy court judge in Connecticut approved a plan for the founder of G-Unit to pay his debts back. He was able to get his bankruptcy discharged in February of the following year.
Following a 45-year-long career in Hollywood, acting in more than 70 films, actor Gary Busey found himself in more debt than he was worth. In 2012, it was reported that Busey owed between $500,000 and $1 million worth of debt, but only had $50,000 to his name. The 74-year-old actor owed money to hospitals, banks, the L.A. Waterworks District, and even a storage company. He filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy that same year. Despite his longstanding career in Hollywood, Busey's net worth is now only $500,000.
Burt Reynolds is still worth five million dollars, but his battles with debt date back more than 20 years. Between bad investments and a pricey divorce from actress Loni Anderson, the 1970s superstar had to deal with over $10 million in debt and decided to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1996. While testifying in a 1994 custody hearing, the South Florida native said he spent $40 million getting through his divorce.
The former Hollywood bad boy, Charlie Sheen owes the IRS nearly $5 million. But that's not all. In 2016, his net worth was reportedly still as high as $150 million, but he was nonetheless $12 million in debt at the time – including mortgages, legal fees, and taxes. That same year, Debt.com reported Sheen owed nearly $300,000 on an American Express card alone.