It's been over four years since Ken Stabler passed away due to complications with colon cancer, but Stabler's legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks the NFL has ever seen will live on forever. During his occupancy in the NFL, Stabler was known for his cool demeanor but his autobiography, Snake (1986), later revealed how he and the Raiders were the only team to travel with their very own bail bondsman. Not only was Stabler a badass off the field, he was one hell of a football player on the field as well. Stabler attended the University of Alabama from 1964 to 1967 where he wouldn't receive starting quarterback honors until his junior year. That same season, Stabler led the Crimson Tide to an undefeated 11-0 record and defeated Nebraska 34-7 in the 1967 Sugar Bowl. In his senior year, Stabler would make history with his 'Run in the Mud' scramble that helped solidify a Crimson Tide 7-3 victory over Auburn in the 1967 Iron Bowl.
Ken Stabler was selected 52nd overall in the second round of the 1968 NFL Draft by the defending AFL Champion Oakland Raiders. That same year, Stabler was drafted by the Houston Astros as well as the New York Mets and Yankees in previous years for his talent on the baseball field. However, Stabler would go on to play ten years out his fifteen-year NFL career with the Oakland Raiders. Ken who earned the nickname 'Snake' for being an elusive scrambler would lead the Raiders to victory in Super Bowl XI against the Minnesota Vikings. The shifty quarterback would also gain recognition for leading the NFL touchdown passes twice (1974, 1976), getting invited to the Pro Bowl a total of four times, and becoming NFL MVP in 1974. Stabler became a cultural icon in Oakland before closing out his NFL career with short stints with the Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints after the 1984 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.