Even legends stumble. Michael Jordan, the man who turned basketball courts into his personal highlight reel, wasn’t immune to failure when he swapped sneakers for cleats. Despite owning three NBA championships, his brief foray into baseball left a bitter taste—and apparently, it wasn’t just the curveballs that bruised his ego. According to a former coach, it gnawed at him more than you’d expect from someone who conquered the hardwood.

Michael Jordan had a gold-standard career in the NBA. He not only won 6 rings but is also considered one of the greatest players to ever grace the game of the NBA. But when you start to win things easily, you get bored. And that is exactly what happened with Jordan. He was so good at the NBA that for a challenge he took up MLB. But things did not go as in baseball. In the 127 games he played, he recorded an average of .202 with only 3 home runs and 51 RBIs. In a recent interview, Terry Francona talked about how Jordan felt after playing in the MLB.

Terry Francona was one of the greatest managers to manage a baseball team. Under his guidance, the Boston Red Sox won two of their World Series. He says, “At one point early in the year I actually had to sit him down, and I go, ‘You look miserable,’ He couldn’t even handle when we’d lose games. It just ate him up.” Even though Michael Jordan had a very commendable work ethic, he could not achieve much in baseball. And after losing games, Jordan was miserable. He took every loss personally and that caused him a great deal of frustration.

Francona also said that he had given Michael Jordan some advice about his career. He said, “I go, ‘ I know how competitive you are, but if you’re going to kill yourself you shouldn’t be doing this.’ And to his credit, he listened. He was so respectful of what we were doing that it just worked.” After Terry Francona saw how badly baseball was affecting Jordan’s mental health, he gave him simple advice to go play what he was the best at. And Michael Jordan welcomed this with open arms and decided to go back to the NBA.

In the end, even the greatest athletes are human, bound by both triumphs and setbacks. Michael Jordan’s baseball stint may not have earned him a championship ring, but it showcased his relentless spirit and willingness to embrace challenges outside his comfort zone. It also served as a reminder that failure isn’t the opposite of success—it’s part of the journey. And sometimes, recognizing where your true genius lies is the greatest victory of all. Thankfully, MJ returned to the hardwood, where he reclaimed his throne and cemented his legacy as the greatest of all time.

Double playmakers: Athletes who dominated baseball and beyond

In the pantheon of athletic prowess, a select few have dared to juggle the demands of multiple professional sports, excelling in both MLB and other arenas. These dual-sport athletes not only showcased their versatility but also redefined the limits of human capability.

Bo Jackson remains the supreme illustration of someone who excelled in baseball and football simultaneously. Jackson broke the record by becoming the sole athlete to earn distinction as an All-Star in the Major League Baseball (MLB) and National Football League (NFL). His MLB performance resulted in a batting average of .250 141 home runs and 415 RBIs. During his NFL career, he established 5.4 average yards for each rush and gained more than 2,700 rushing yards. The dual commitment between MLB and the NFL forced Jackson to retire from the sport due to a hip injury in 1991.

Deion Sanders turned into a sports dual star who actively participated in NFL games while remaining active in MLB competitions. He stands as the one and only athlete who has competed in both an NFL Super Bowl and an MLB World Series. During his NFL career, Sanders established himself as a top cornerback who received eight Pro Bowl selections and two Super Bowl rings. The MLB games saw him play for nine years averaging .263 and stealing 186 times. His exceptional talent distinguishes him because he can play multiple sports even during the same weekly games.

While these athletes achieved remarkable success across sports, their stories also highlight the challenges and physical demands of excelling at the highest levels in multiple arenas. Their legacies serve as a testament to human versatility and the relentless pursuit of excellence, even when the odds are stacked against them.