15 Athletes Who Became Viral Memes
Professional athletes dedicate their lives to peak performance, training countless hours to achieve greatness on the biggest stages. But sometimes, a single moment, expression, or mishap can transform them from sports heroes into internet legends.
These viral moments often overshadow their athletic achievements, creating a digital legacy that lives far beyond their playing careers. The internet loves a good sports meme, and athletes have provided endless material for creative fans to work with.
Here is a list of 15 athletes who became viral memes, proving that in the digital age, you’re just one awkward moment away from internet immortality.
Michael Jordan
The most iconic athlete meme of all time comes from basketball’s greatest player. The source photo was taken by Associated Press photographer Stephan Savoia during Jordan’s speech at his Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on September 11, 2009.
The image shows Jordan with tears streaming down his face, creating what became known as ‘Crying Jordan.’ Since the meme took off in early 2015, people have used it to express disappointment, mock opponents, gloat — and, increasingly, not just regarding sports.
The meme became so popular that even Jordan himself referenced it during Kobe Bryant’s memorial service, joking about accidentally creating another crying moment.
McKayla Maroney
When a women’s gymnastics star turns the Internet upside down with a simple reaction, there’s no one who even comes close to overtaking meme popularity. McKayla Maroney being unimpressed was the most famous meme of 2012, and because of it, helped her meet a ton of different people who were sharing her silver medal-winning reaction.
Her pursed lips and side-eye expression after winning silver in the vault at the 2012 London Olympics became the perfect way to express disappointment or dissatisfaction with anything. Even famous athletes couldn’t escape her photoshopped apathy.
Maroney’s medal-stand image was inserted into photos of Muhammad Ali, Usain Bolt and LeBron James, just to name a few.
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LeBron James
The King of basketball has provided multiple meme moments throughout his career. LeBron James is the most popular, polarizing athlete in the world, so it only makes sense for him to pop up on memes pretty much every single day.
His receding hairline became a constant source of internet humor, with fans creating countless jokes about his efforts to hide it. During the 2014 NBA Finals, LeBron James had to be carried off the court in Game 1 due to cramping.
Because he’s LeBron James, this of course led to criticism and mocking. It also led to a new meme deemed #LeBroning. People recreated the scene of him being carried off the court in various humorous situations.
Manti Te’o
The Notre Dame linebacker became internet famous for all the wrong reasons. Deadspin broke the story of Manti Te’o and his fake girlfriend in January 2013.
The sad and confusing tale, of course, inspired Internet mockery in the form of #teoing. Folks posted pictures of themselves with one arm out—as if their arms were around people who weren’t actually there.
When people are still making fun of a guy 10 months later by wearing Halloween costumes of the whole debacle, it’s safe to say he’s an easy target. Te’o will never be able to live that down.
Stephen Nedoroscik
Steven Neodoroscik, 25, is a specialist for Team USA men’s gymnastics, meaning he was brought onto the team for his expertise in one event: pommel horse. During the 2024 Paris Olympics, he became an instant meme sensation.
Shots of Nedoroscik waiting for his (spectacular) turn with eyes closed and glasses on produced a barrage of memes, while his removal of spectacles to become the newly-crowned ‘Pommel Horse Guy’ were soon compared to Clark Kent’s transformation from nerdy news reporter to Superman. His calm demeanor while waiting hours for his 45-second routine made him a relatable hero.
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Henrik Christiansen
The Norwegian swimmer became the internet’s favorite Olympian at the 2024 Paris Games. Now nicknamed the ‘muffin man’ by social media users, Henrik Christiansen is beloved online.
The Norwegian swimmer, who has more than 400,000 TikTok followers, went viral for his love of the chocolate pastry. Christiansen’s TikTok account essentially transformed into a love letter to the chocolatey baked goods available to athletes in the Olympic village.
His genuine enthusiasm for Olympic Village muffins made him an endearing figure who represented the joy athletes find in simple pleasures.
Anthony Ammirati
The French pole vaulter achieved viral fame in the most unexpected way during the 2024 Olympics. In what may end up becoming the defining image of Paris 2024, French pole-vaulter Anthony Ammirati failed to clear 5.70m — and thus failed to qualify for the final — because of what appeared to be a large bulge in his tight pants, a large bulge which knocked the bar from its perch and sent thousands of internet comedians into immediate overdrive.
The incident spawned countless memes and jokes, with people praising it as the most memorable way to lose an Olympic event.
Yusuf Dikeç
The 51-year-old Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikeç rocked a regular pair of eyeglasses and a hand in his pocket. Dikeç stood out next to the decked-out athletes from competing nations.
His casual approach to Olympic shooting became a sensation. Yusuf Dikec probably had little idea that he’d become a viral sensation when he stepped up to compete in the mixed team 10-metre air pistol event, but within hours of the competition on Tuesday, a photo of his casual attire and nonchalant one-hand-in-pocket demeanor was bouncing around social media. He won silver while looking like he just wandered in from the street.
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Kim Yeji
Kim Yeji, a sharpshooter from the Republic of Korea, has gone viral for her performance in her pistol shooting event – because she made it look so cool. Her style became legendary at the 2024 Olympics. Kim wore a pair of custom bespoke glasses to help with her precision, a baseball cap and black outfit that many online said made her look ‘badass.’
Videos of her bad to the bone shooting performance – where she nonchalantly shoots her gun, takes out the bullet and stares down the camera — have gone viral. She became the embodiment of cool competence.
Tom Brady
The NFL legend has been memed multiple times throughout his career. Remember when the sketch artist who was tasked with drawing the scene inside the courtroom during Tom Brady’s hearings with the NFL took some serious heat for the depiction of Brady?
The sketch received heavy backlash on Twitter because the drawing certainly did not look like Tom Brady. On Jan. 24, as soon as Denver defeated New England in the 2016 AFC Championship Game, fans started trolling the Patriots on Twitter with myriad Crying Jordans, including one featuring Tom Brady’s courtroom drawing from Deflategate. His various playoff losses also provided endless meme material.
Cam Newton
The former NFL quarterback became a meme through his celebratory dance moves and unique fashion sense. The Dougie took over the sports world in 2010, with athletes like Reggie Bush, John Wall and Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis all getting in on the action. Newton popularized the ‘dab’ celebration, which became a worldwide phenomenon.
His colorful press conference outfits and confident personality made him a favorite target for memes, both positive and negative. After losing Super Bowl 50 to the Broncos, his sulking demeanor during the post-game press conference sparked numerous Crying Jordan memes.
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Russell Westbrook
The NBA point guard became a meme sensation primarily through his bold fashion choices and intense facial expressions. His pre-game and post-game outfits became internet talking points, with fans either loving or mocking his avant-garde style.
Westbrook’s animated reactions during games, particularly his intense stares and emotional outbursts, provided endless GIF material. His ‘What?’ expression became particularly popular, used to convey confusion or disbelief in countless situations beyond basketball.
Giorgia Villa
Italian gymnast Giorgia Villa has the most iconic Italian sponsorship ever — Parmesan cheese. Villa, a 21-year-old from Ponte San Pietro, helped lead her team to silver in the team all around event. But old photos from a 2021 ad campaign with Parmigiano Reggiano really made her stand out. In a post on social media, Villa referred to the cheese as her ‘best friend.’
The images went viral this week, with many saying on social media they wanted to become an athlete just for the hope that they could get such a sponsor.
Tim Howard
Even though the U.S. men’s national team didn’t win the 2014 World Cup, its goalie won the Internet with his dominating performance. In the U.S. team’s final game against Belgium, Tim Howard saved 16 shots and inspired a new meme sensation, #ThingsTimHowardCouldSave.
People began creating humorous lists of things the goalkeeper could theoretically save, from relationships to the economy. His superhuman performance turned him into a meme legend, with fans treating him like he could save anything and everything.
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Brian Scalabrine
If there’s anything I learned through my sports meme research, it’s that people on the Internet love NBA free agent Brian Scalabrine. He’s not very good at basketball, but his sarcastically fanatical fanbase represents asses in the seats and should be enough to help him land a job!
The backup forward became beloved precisely because he wasn’t a superstar. Fans ironically praised ‘The White Mamba’ as if he were the greatest player ever, creating an entire mythology around his limited skills.
His meme status transcended his actual basketball abilities, making him more famous for being a meme than for playing.
When Athletes Become Internet Gold
The transformation of athletes into viral memes reflects how sports culture has evolved in the digital age. These moments show that authenticity and humanity often resonate more than perfection, turning awkward mishaps and genuine reactions into enduring symbols of internet culture.
Whether they embrace their meme status or try to move past it, these athletes have achieved a unique form of immortality that goes far beyond their sport.
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