In 1990, coaching legends Joe Gibbs, Chuck Knoll and Don Shula were still patrolling the sidelines, while other notable members of the profession included Mike Ditka, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Parcells and Dan Reeves, to name a few. There, were, however, some not-so-notable names leading NFL teams back then, just as is the case today. For every Hall of Fame head coach like a Gibbs or Shula there have been plenty of Rod Rusts and Cam Camerons.

Here’s Athlon Sports' list of the worst NFL head coaching tenures since 1990:

20. Dave McGinnis, Arizona Cardinals (17-40, 2000-03)

The Good: McGinnis’ coaching tenure in the NFL goes back to 1986, when he started as a linebackers coach for the Chicago Bears. He is currently an assistant head coach with the St. Louis Rams.

The Bad: His head coaching career got off to a rocky start, going 1-8 as interim head coach for Arizona in 2000 following the firing of Vince Tobin, who started the season 2-5.

The Ugly: After going 7-9 in 2001, his last two Cardinals teams went a combined 9-21 in 2002-03, finishing 29th or worse in points scored and points allowed in both seasons.

19. Scott Linehan, St. Louis Rams (11-25, 2006-08)

The Good: Started his head coaching career by going 8-8 in 2006. Offensive coordinator for Minnesota and Miami from 2002-05, has been in same capacity for Detroit since 2009.

The Bad: Things went downhill for him and the Rams after that 8-8 campaign in 2006. Opened the ’07 season with eight straight losses.

The Ugly: Won just three of his final 20 games, fired after starting 2008 season 0-4. Lost eight in a row to end tenure in St. Louis, as his Rams were out-scored by 178 points (22.3 ppg).

18. Joe Bugel, Phoenix Cardinals (20-44, 1990-93)

The Good: Ended his tenure with the Cardinals on a high note, going 7-9 in 1993.

The Bad: Became offensive coordinator for Oakland Raiders in 1995 before getting another shot at head coach in 1997. Raiders went 4-12 that season, his last in the NFL.

The Ugly: Never finished higher than fourth in the division in any season as a head coach, his career winning percentage is just .300 (24-56).

17. Norv Turner, Oakland Raiders (9-23, 2004-05)

The Good: Has gone 114-122-1 (.483) overall in his 15 seasons as a head coach in the NFL, serving stints with Washington and San Diego in addition to Oakland. Was 56-40 in his six seasons leading the Chargers, which included three AFC West division titles. He has also been a successful offensive coordinator for several teams (Dallas, Miami, San Diego, San Francisco) and landed on his feet after getting fired by San Diego as Cleveland’s new offensive coordinator under new Browns head coach Rob Chudzinksi.

The Bad: Teams seemed to consistently underachieve; his career playoff record is 4-4 with just one conference championship game appearance (AFC, 2007).

The Ugly: Won just nine games in two seasons in Oakland. The Raiders’ rushing offense and defense ranked near the bottom of the league both seasons.

16. Dennis Erickson, San Francisco 49ers (9-23, 2003-04)

The Good: Overall NFL head coaching record is 40-56 (.417), as he went 31-33 in four seasons with Seattle (1995-98). He also has 179-96-1 career record as college head coach and won national championships at Miami in 1989 and ’91.

The Bad: Never fully embraced by 49ers fans, who along with the media questioned his hiring in February 2003 as the replacement for the fired Steve Mariucci. Salary cap problems throughout the roster hampered his ability to build a winner.

The Ugly: The 49ers went 2-14 in 2004 with both wins coming in overtime. The team ranked 30th in scoring offense (16.2 ppg) and last in scoring defense (28.2 ppg).

15. David Shula, Cincinnati Bengals (19-52, 1992-96)

The Good: Don Shula’s son went 7-9 in 1995.

The Bad: He followed that up with a 1-6 start in 1996, leading to his dismissal.

The Ugly: Has the second-lowest career winning percentage (.268) all-time among NFL head coaches (min. 50 career games).

14. Josh McDaniels, Denver Broncos (11-17, 2009-10)

The Good: Got his first head coach job at just 33 years old, won his first six games with Denver.

The Bad: Didn’t exactly endear himself to fans when he traded then-quarterback Jay Cutler to Chicago less than three months after being named Broncos’ head coach. Also traded up into the first round to select Florida quarterback Tim Tebow with the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.

The Ugly: Won just five of his final 22 games, fired after starting 2010 season 3-9.

13. Dick MacPherson, New England Patriots (8-24, 1991-92)

The Good: Coached at UMass and Syracuse for a total of 17 seasons prior to the Patriots, posting a 111-73-5 mark. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

The Bad: Didn’t have as much success in the pros, winning just a quarter of his games in his two seasons in New England.

The Ugly: The 1992 Patriots lost nine in a row to open season and their final five to finish things out. Team scored less than 13 points per game, including zero points three different times.

12. Mike Mularkey, Jacksonville Jaguars (2-14, 2012)

The Good: Fared better as Buffalo’s head coach from 2004-05, going 14-18.

The Bad: First Bills team went from 9-7 in 2004 to 5-11 in ’05, losing eight of its last 10 games.

The Ugly: Didn’t get much of a chance or much help of any kind in his one and only season in Jacksonville. Injuries decimated the Jaguars’ offense, as the team struggled to score points (15.9 per game) all season and lost its final five games by an average of nearly 14 points per game.

11. Steve Spagnuolo, St. Louis Rams (10-38, 2009-11)

The Good: Spagnuolo was the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants from 2007-08 and is credited as the architect of the defensive strategy employed by the team in its Super Bowl XLII victory over the previously undefeated New England Patriots.

The Bad: Had four different losing streaks of six or more games during his three seasons with the Rams.

The Ugly: In between a 7-9 record in 2010, Spagnuolo’s Rams won a total of three games (3-29) combined in the 2009 and ’11 seasons. Following his dismissal from the Rams, Spagnuolo served as New Orleans’ defensive coordinator in 2012, overseeing a defense that broke the NFL single-season record for most yards allowed.

10. Chris Palmer, Cleveland Browns (5-27, 1999-2000)

The Good: Hired as head coach of expansion Cleveland Browns upon their return to the NFL in 1999. He also has served as offensive coordinator for Jacksonville (1997-98), Houston (2002-04), and Tennessee (2012).

The Bad: Lost first seven games with the Browns, he also had a separate seven-game losing streak during 2000 season.

The Ugly: His Browns’ offenses finished last in the NFL in both total and scoring offense in both seasons.

9. Art Shell, Oakland Raiders (2-14, 2006)

The Good: Played tackle for 15 seasons for Raiders (1968-82), earning eight Pro Bowl invites and first-team All-Pro honors twice. Inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1989 also finished head coaching career for the Raiders franchise with winning record (56-52 overall).

The Bad: After six successful seasons as head coach for the Los Angeles Raiders from 1989-94, where he went 54-38, he made the wrong decision in choosing to come out of retirement to coach the Oakland Raiders in 2006.

The Ugly: His 2006 Raiders allowed a respectable 20.8 points per game, but scored nearly half as many (10.5 ppg), a big reason why they won just two games. The offense scored six or fewer points six times and were shutout completely on three different occasions.

8. Romeo Crennel, Kansas City Chiefs (4-15, 2011-12)

The Good: Has won five Super Bowl rings as an assistant coach with the New York Giants (1986, ’90 seasons) and New England Patriots (2001, ’03, ’04), where he had the opportunity to work under Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick.

The Bad: His championship pedigree has never carried over to his head-coaching jobs. His overall record is 28-55 (.337), including 24-40 as Cleveland’s head coach from 2005-08.

The Ugly: Only winning season came in 2007 when he led the Browns to 10-6 record, but they still missed the playoffs. Went 2-1 as Chiefs’ interim head coach to close out 2011 and get him the full-time gig, but followed that up with 2-14 mark this past season. The Chiefs fired him on Dec. 31.

7. Marty Mornhinweg, Detroit Lions (5-27, 2001-02)

The Good: Been more successful as offensive coordinator for San Francisco 49ers (1997-2000) and Philadelphia Eagles (2006-12).

The Bad: First career win didn’t come until 13th game, a 27-24 victory over Minnesota.

The Ugly: Won his five games by a combined total of 18 points. Biggest win was by five points (three times).

6. Lane Kiffin, Oakland Raiders (5-15, 2007-08)

The Good: Following his success as offensive coordinator at USC, was hired by Al Davis in January 2007. At the time, he was the youngest (31) head coach in Raiders franchise history and in the entire NFL since 1946. Landed back in the collegiate coaching ranks when he was named University of Tennessee’s head coach in 2009. Left Tennessee after just one season to return to USC as the Trojans’ head coach in 2010.

The Bad: Finished his first and only full season with the Raiders 2-10 after getting off to a 2-2 start. In college, he has established a pattern of running afoul of the NCAA and rubbing his peers the wrong way during his time at both Tennessee and USC.

The Ugly: Fired by Davis “for cause” just four games (Raiders went 1-3) into the 2008 season. His 2012 USC team, which was ranked No. 1 in just about every major preseason poll, stumbled to a 7-6 record, including a disappointing 21-7 loss to Georgia Tech in the Sun Bowl.

5. Rich Kotite, New York Jets (4-28, 1995-96)

The Good: Went 36-28 as Philadelphia Eagles head coach from 1991-94.

The Bad: Lost five games in 1995 by seven or fewer points.

The Ugly: Lost 12 in a row from 1995-96, lost seven games in ’96 by 14 or more points.

4. Rod Marinelli, Detroit Lions (10-38, 2006-08)

The Good: After getting fired from Detroit, he joined Chicago as assistant head coach/defensive line in 2009 and became defensive coordinator the following season. The 2012 Bears defense finished first in the NFL in takeaways, third in scoring defense and fifth in total defense. Hired earlier this month as Dallas' defensive line coach under new Cowboys' defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.

The Bad: His Lions’ teams were out-scored by a total of 440 points in his three seasons, for an average of 9.2 per game.

The Ugly: Even though they went a perfect 4-0 in preseason play, the 2008 Lions went winless during the regular season, becoming the first NFL team in history to go 0-16.

3. Cam Cameron, Miami Dolphins (1-15, 2007)

The Good: Cameron enjoyed considerably more success as an offensive coordinator for both the San Diego Chargers (2002-06) and the Baltimore Ravens (2008-12). His Chargers’ offenses from 2004-06 ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in total offense and top 5 in scoring offense.

The Bad: His lone coaching win came in the Dolphins’ 14th game of the season, a 22-16 overtime win against a Ravens team that would finish with just five wins.

The Ugly: His Dolphins were out-scored by 170 points (437 to 267); the team averaged less than 99 yards rushing per game and allowed more than 153.

2. Rod Rust, New England Patriots (1-15, 1990)

The Good: Spent 14 seasons in the NFL as a defensive coordinator for Kansas City (1978-82, ‘88), New England (1983-87), Pittsburgh (1989), the New York Giants (1992), and Atlanta (1996)

The Bad: Won just one game in 1990, a 16-14 victory in Indianapolis.

The Ugly: His Patriots were out-scored by 265 points in 1990, an average of 16.6 points per game. Five losses were by 28 or more points.

1. Bobby Petrino, Atlanta Falcons (3-10, 2007)

The Good: Parlayed his success as the head coach at Louisville and his reputation as an offensive-minded coach into the Falcons’ job in 2007.

The Bad: With only three seasons worth of NFL coaching experience prior to taking over the Falcons, including just one as an offensive coordinator (2001, Jacksonville), Petrino never seemed to be able to adjust to the pro game. Neither of the NFL offenses he was responsible for ranked higher than 20th in total or scoring offense in either of his two seasons.

The Ugly: Resigned just 13 games into the season, informing the team, his coaching staff and the players of the decision via a four-sentence statement printed on a piece of paper. He left the Falcons to go back to the college ranks, becoming Arkansas’ new head coach, leading the Hogs to a 34-17 record in four seasons. He was fired by Arkansas this past April for cause after a motorcycle accident involving a female passenger revealed an adulterous affair and a string of poor decisions made by Petrino in hopes of keeping it secret.

The gorgeous and talented Gold Rush cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team—the San Francisco 49ers—during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders.

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The gorgeous and talented Gold Rush cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team—the San Francisco 49ers—during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders.

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The gorgeous and talented Gold Rush cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team—the San Francisco 49ers—during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders.

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The gorgeous and talented Gold Rush cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team—the San Francisco 49ers—during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders.

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The gorgeous and talented Gold Rush cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team—the San Francisco 49ers—during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders.

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The gorgeous and talented Gold Rush cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team—the San Francisco 49ers—during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders.

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The gorgeous and talented Gold Rush cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team—the San Francisco 49ers—during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders.

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The gorgeous and talented Gold Rush cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team—the San Francisco 49ers—during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders.

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The gorgeous and talented Gold Rush cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team—the San Francisco 49ers—during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders.

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The gorgeous and talented Gold Rush cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team—the San Francisco 49ers—during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders.

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The gorgeous and talented Gold Rush cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team—the San Francisco 49ers—during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders.

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The gorgeous and talented Gold Rush cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team—the San Francisco 49ers—during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders.

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The gorgeous and talented Gold Rush cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team—the San Francisco 49ers—during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders.

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The beautiful and talented Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders. 

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The beautiful and talented Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders. 

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The beautiful and talented Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders. 

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The beautiful and talented Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders. 

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The beautiful and talented Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders. 

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The beautiful and talented Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders. 

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The beautiful and talented Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders. 

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The beautiful and talented Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders. 

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The beautiful and talented Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders. 

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The beautiful and talented Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders. 

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

The beautiful and talented Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders are heading to New Orleans to cheer on their team during Super Bowl XLVII. Check out the competition's cheerleaders here: San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders. 

Check out Athlon Sports' special Super Bowl section for more coverage on the Ravens vs. 49ers and the history of the big game.

Despite being one of the most consistently productive players in the NBA for over a decade, Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki seemed to go relatively under the radar for most of his career. Maybe it’s just because he wasn’t in Los Angeles or New York, but Nowitzki’s standout play didn’t receive much national attention until he led the Mavs to an upset over the superstar-stacked Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Championship. That's a shame because, at 34-years-old, Nowitzki has already begun the slow descent out of his prime. The drop off isn’t pronounced just yet, but recurring health problems have contributed to both his playing time and points per game declining over the last three seasons.

by AMBER LEE (follow her @blamberr)

The Chargers took a chance on tight end Antonio Gates, an undrafted free agent out of Kent State, in 2003 and it paid off in a big way. Not only has Gates been one of the most dominant players at his position over the course of his career, he’s widely considered one of the greatest tight ends of all time. From 2002-11, Gates averaged 9.25 touchdowns and 925 yards per season, with an average of 13 yards per catch and just two fumbles—total—over that span.

Unfortunately, Father Time is finally catching up to their once unstoppable superstar tight end. Injuries have become a nagging problem for Gates, who hasn’t played a full season since 2009. His total yards have declined over each of the last four seasons and injuries have led to some unwanted weight gain for the 32-year-old tight end.

PGA golfer Tiger Woods was perhaps the most prolific athlete of a generation when the news broke that he had crashed his Escalade into a tree outside his home in November 2009. The scandal that ensued was one of the most salacious to ever hit the sports media, and the tabloids were absolutely relentless.

Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher spent the greater part of the last decade as one of the most dominant and feared players at his position in the NFL. Aside from the 2004 season in which he missed seven games due to injury, Urlacher played every single game for the bears between 2000 and 2008. He finished among the league leaders in sacks and tackles for many of those seasons as well.

Despite his advancing age and the extremely physical, demanding nature of his position, Urlacher remained stunningly productive through the 2011 season. But a serious injury in January 2012 that damaged many ligaments in his left knee left his contract status with the Bears, and perhaps his future in the league, in jeopardy. The Bears let Urlacher, who has been the face of their franchise for more than 10 years, enter into the 2012 season without renegotiating his contract, which is in its final year. It’s probably a good business decision not to re-sign a 34-year-old linebacker, but will ultimately prove unpopular with fans.

After former Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was released from prison in 2009, the Eagles signed him to back up Donovan McNabb, breathing life into a career many thought was dead. McNabb, who seemed to be on tenuous ground in Philly since the day he was drafted, mentored Vick for one season before being replaced by him entirely in 2010.

Vick had a standout season for the Eagles in 2010 and and was rewarded with a six-year contract worth $100 million, despite missing four games with injuries. His health continued to be a problem in 2011 and so did his penchant for turnovers. This trend, and a concussion, saw the once-great QB lose his job to rookie Nick Foles.

After the 2008 and 2009 seasons, many were ready to give Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz up for dead. His stats were down across the board in every statistical category except for strikeouts; not exactly something he was looking to increase. 

Celtics forward Kevin Garnett has long been one of the most talented, dominating and feared big men in the NBA. Talk of retirement has followed 36-year-old KG for years, but he’s defied his age and remained a productive player in Boston. In fact, in March 2012, when the Celtics were in serious need of a shake up, they asked Garnett to shift from forward to center, and the move paid dividends for Boston.

After years of statistical and physical decline, KG experienced a bit of a career renaissance in the second half of the 2011-12 season, helping lead the Celtics to a near upset of the Heat in a series nobody expected to go to seven games. That being said, there’s absolutely no question that Garnett’s golden days as the league’s premier power forward are well behind him.

What can be said about Yankees impotent slugger Alex Rodriguez that hasn’t already been said. The Yankees signed him to the richest, and worst, contract in the history of professional sports (at the time) in 2004; a 10-year deal worth $275 million. Which means for every game he rode the bench during the 2012 playoffs, he was paid a cool $169,753.09 to flirt with ladies in the stands and gnaw on sunflower seeds in the dugout.

Pretty sweet deal... for him. The Rodriguez contract was actually a pretty sweet deal for the Yankees too, until about 2008—at least during the regular season. A-Rod performed extremely well through the first few years of his contract and had the second-best season of his career in 2007 with 54 home runs, 156 RBIs, a batting average of .314 and he barely missed a game. 

Steelers safety Troy Polamalu was selected in the first round out of USC by the Steelers in the 2003 NFL Entry Draft. In order to get Polamalu, Pittsburgh did something they almost never do; they actually traded up from the 27th spot to the 16th spot in order to acquire him. Drafting is a hit-or-miss process in the league, but someone in the Steelers organization sure knew what they were doing that day. In a league largely devoid of true stud safeties, Polamalu alongside with the Ravens’ Ed Reed are two of the most dynamic playmakers at the position in NFL history.

Unfortunately, the wear and tear associated with his exceptionally physical style of play has taken its toll on Polamalu and he’s struggled with injuries in recent years, including concussion concerns made more serious by his history. Polamalu has remained a formidable force on the field, but he’s spent less and less time actually on it; having only played two full seasons since 2006. The injury he suffered in October 2012 had some asking if this most recent injury could bring the Polamalu era in Pittsburgh to an end in 2013.

Not everyone is going to agree that Heat superstar Dwyane Wade should be on this list; Heat superstar Dwyane Wade chief among them. There’s no question that Wade is still a top-tier talent in the NBA, but the argument can be made that he’s now the third-best player on his own team. He’s only two years older than Chris Bosh, but his health has become an ongoing concern and he missed 17 of 66 games during the lockout shortened season in 2011-12.

Spurs forward Tim Duncan seems ageless, doesn’t he? Well he has an age, and that age is 36. Duncan’s best days may be well behind him, but he’s remained a stunningly productive player in San Antonio throughout his entire career and has quietly had one of the greatest NBA careers of a generation. The argument can be made that Duncan’s career has even rivaled that of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.

Ravens superstar safety Ed Reed, like the Steelers' Troy Polamalu, is approaching the end of a Hall of Fame career. Granted, in these waning years, his attitude toward the only franchise he’s ever played for has been a bit contentious.

Reed has been openly hostile toward Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco and it doesn’t seem that the NFL’s overall transition to a more offensive-minded game is sitting well with the defensive superstar. He’s been hinting at retirement nearly every season since 2008 and spent the entire 2012 offseason publicly stating that football was the least of his concerns, lest the Ravens give him the raise he was not so subtly hinting at.

In baseball, unlike football, players are rewarded for what they have done, not what they will do. How else would you explain the Phillies giving slugger Ryan Howard a five-year contract worth $125 million in 2010, with a sixth-year option that could keep him in Philadelphia until 2017.

Something tells me that given his performance since that big pay day, the Phillies aren’t going to be exercising his option in 2017. This is very common in MLB, so Howard’s big bloated contract (that he won’t even come close to earning) isn’t really the issue. The issue is that he peaked in 2006 with 58 home runs, 149 RBIs and a batting average of .312, but has been on a pretty steep downhill trajectory ever since. He followed up his career year with three more solid seasons, but has seen his production decline since 2010. His 2012 season was basically a lost cause after he tore his Achilles tendon in the final game of 2011 NLCS against St. Louis. He eventually returned to the field this past July, but was a shell of his former self, hitting just .219 with 14 home runs and 56 RBIs in 71 games.

Lakers legend Kobe Bryant probably won’t consider himself completely past his prime until he’s dead, but he did indicate in 2011 that he knows his basketball skills have diminished in recent years. Bryant's health has become a growing concern and he hasn't played a full season since 2010-11. His minutes and total points per game are both down from his peak year in 2005-06. That’s not to say that a Kobe Bryant a couple years past his prime still isn’t better than the vast majority of the NBA.

At age 34, many athletes are considered well beyond their expiration date, but Bryant, by most accounts, still ranks among the top 15 players in the NBA.

It’s not easy for a hockey fan to argue that legendary Devils goalie Martin Brodeur, one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, is past his prime; but he is. What’s amazing is that the 40-year-old Brodeur is just a couple of years past his prime. He barely missed a game from 1995 through 2008, but in recent years it’s become increasingly clear that his age is finally starting to catch up with him. Brodeur has missed significant playing time over the last four seasons due to a number of injuries, leading many to wonder if it’s time for the future Hall of Famer to call it a career.

Anaheim Ducks right wing Teemu Selanne burst into the NHL as part of the Phoenix Coyotes during the 1992-93 season and instantly became a rookie scoring sensation. He netted 76 goals and 56 assists for a total of 132 points, an epic 387 shots on goal and shooting percentage of 19.6 percent.

Selanne had a career season in his rookie year, but remained a highly productive veteran, despite a few seasons hampered by injuries; up until the 2006-07 season. That's when the veteran Selanne, now 42-years-old, started a steady and steep decline in his production.

He experienced a surprise career resurgence in 2010-11 with 80 points, but it could very well be an outlier, and his best years are likely a decade behind him.

After nearly a decade of stellar play with the Rams, the team and running back Steven Jackson could very well go there separate ways next season. Both Jackson and the organization agreed to void the last year of his contract for the 2013 season, allowing him to test the waters of free agency or possibly retire.

Minus his rookie season in 2004 and his final season in 2008, Jackson has been one of the most dominating running backs of the decade. Over those seven years he averaged 1,203 yards per season, never once dropping below 1,000 total yards, 4.2 yards per carry, and was good for seven touchdowns a year. Jackson's career actually peaked in 2006, but the decline was exceptionally slow, showing no signs of real wear and tear until 2010 and 2011 when his attempts and yards per carry dropped in successive years.

Jackson's best days may be well behind him, but at 29 years old, there's still a chance he'll find a home in 2013 and remain productive for a few more seasons.

This one really goes without saying, doesn't it? If onetime global soccer superstar David Beckham wasn't years past his prime, he wouldn't be playing for Major League Soccer's L.A. Galaxy in the U.S. He’d be playing football overseas. In the past he's played for perennial powerhouses Manchester United and Real Madrid, but it's been six years since he left Spain for the states. During his time with the Galaxy, he did play two brief stints on loan to AC Milan, but the fact of the matter is that Beckham simply wasn’t good enough to play in a full-time role overseas anymore. In fact, after being one of the instrumental players in bringing the 2012 Olympics to London, he failed to even be named to their national team. And that speaks volumes.

Swiss tennis sensation Roger Federer stunned the tennis world in the summer of 2012 by winning his seventh Wimbledon title at the age of 30. It wasn't because he had never won that particular Grand Slam before, because he had. In fact, from 2003 through 2009 only one player not named Roger Federer had won.

Since first reaching the No. 1 ranking in 2004, Federer has won well over 20 Grand Slam titles and he's currently ranked No. 2 in the world at the age of 31. Which means that Federer's career certainly isn't over, but his prime is far behind him. Between 2003 and 2007 Federer was an unstoppable force on nearly every tennis court around the world, but the emergence of Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, and above all, Novak Djokovic, has seriously challenged him for supremacy.

Jaromir Jagr, along with Hall of Famers Mario Lemieux and Ron Francis, led the Pittsburgh Penguins to consecutive Stanley Cup Championships in 1991 and 1992—helping the team achieve dynasty status in the NHL. Jagr and Lemieux were a feared, effective tandem, and Jagr’s trophy case underscores his greatness in the nineties. All told, he’s racked up five Art Ross trophies to go along with a Hart Memorial Trophy, and eight all-star selections. Not bad for a guy on a team with Mario Lemieux. At 40, Jagr is encountering the inevitable physical decline that comes with playing hockey from childhood and into middle age. However, his decline began well before Father Time came calling. When the Pens traded him to the Washington Capitals in 2001, it came amidst rumors about gambling and more than a little grumbling from the Czech himself. Jagr remained one of the greatest players in the game, but was never the same after leaving Pittsburgh. He’s only scored more than 30 goals once in the last decade; as a New York Ranger in 2006. As soon as he’s eligible for the Hall of Fame, Jagr will be a lock, but for now he’s a rental—bouncing between the KHL and NHL, and following up a single, lackluster season with Philadelphia by signing a one-year deal with Dallas.

by AMBER LEE (follow her @blamberr)