Not every NFL scout has the eye to recognize all-time talent and Steve Young's rise to prominence is the perfect example of talent that got away from many football franchises. On the field, Young was a risk-taker and was willing to take the blame for some of the wild throws he would take. But while he knew some of the attempts he was making were irresponsible, he was also aware that some of those passes would ingrain his name as an NFL legend. While at Bringham Young University, the coaching staff considered switching Young to defensive back because of his athletic ability and the struggles he was having getting accumulated as a college quarterback. But after countless hours of work, Young proved he was worthy of the position and set an NCAA single-season record with a completion percentage of 73.1 as a senior in 1983. Young also helped BYU set an NCAA record averaging 584.2 yards per game as well. To close out his college career Young led the Cougars to a 21-17 victory in the 1983 Holiday Bowl against the Missouri Tigers.
Prior to entering the NFL, Steve Young played in the United States Football League (USFL) with the Los Angeles Express for two seasons before the league was dissolved. Young was picked by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the supplemental draft but went 3-16 with Young as a starter. In 1987, Steve Young was traded to the San Francisco 49ers where he would make history leading the team to three Super Bowl victories (XXIII, XXIV, and XXIX). Young would win Super Bowl MVP honors in Super Bowl XXIX for throwing a Super Bowl record six touchdowns against the San Diego Chargers. Young had a passer rating of over 100 six times throughout his fifteen-season NFL career along with seven Pro Bowl nods and two NFL MVP honors. Steve Young retired following the 1999 NFL season.
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.