Sherrone Moore, Hulk Hogan and More of the Most Shocking Firings in Sports History

The stories of the firing of Michigan’s Sherrone Moore and Ohio University’s Brian Smith have shocked fans of both programs.

Smith was fired by Ohio University on December 17, 2025, for “serious professional misconduct and participating in activities that reflect unfavorably on the University.” He admitted to engaging in an affair with an undergraduate student at the school.

Moore was fired on December 10, 2025, amid allegations of his own “inappropriate” relationship with a member of the program’s staff, whom he has also reportedly assaulted.

But the pair are part of a long line of shocking sports firings that have dogged the athletic world for years. Keep scrolling to read more about surprise firings in the world of college and professional sports.

Brian Smith

Smith was placed on administrative leave in early December 2025 and officially fired by Ohio University on December 17, 2025, after the school determined he was guilty of “engaging in serious professional misconduct and participating in activities that reflect unfavorably on the University.”

Smith and his ex-wife finalized their divorce on December 9, 2025, according to court filings.

On December 18, 2025, multiple outlets reported legal records indicate Smith had an extramarital affair with an undergraduate student. Per USA Today, Ohio University President Lori Stewart Gonzalez wrote in a letter obtained by the outlet that the affair was largely carried out at the Ohio University Inn, and the student’s family members were aware of the dynamic.

“He (Smith) is shocked and dismayed by this turn of events, and we plan to fight this wrongful termination to protect his good name,” attorney Rex Elliott said in the statement. “Coach Smith is an ethical man who has done an exemplary job for the University. He wants nothing but the best for the players, coaches, and the entire Bobcat community.”

Sherrone Moore

The University of Michigan fired Moore on December 10, 2025, amid allegations he had an “inappropriate” relationship with a staff member. “U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately,” Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel announced in a press release.

“Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member,” the statement continued.“This conduct constitutes a clear violation of University policy, and U-M maintains zero tolerance for such behavior.”

More information was released about the nature of the allegations against Moore, who was in his second season as head coach, in the days that followed.

Moore reportedly broke into the home of the staff member in question the day he was fired and allegedly picked up butter knives and threatened to hurt himself.

“[The staff member] indicated that she was approximately 5 feet from the door when he made entry,” court records explained. “She advised that she began backing up and as he was approaching her. [She] advised that Moore grabbed two knives out of her drawer and pointed them at her, ‘You ruined my life. You ruined my life.’”

Moore allegedly backed her “towards the living room” while still holding the knives. After the woman successfully got her attorney on the phone, Moore reportedly “backed up and turned the knives on himself, pointing them at his neck, saying that he was going to kill himself and that she was going to watch.”

Moore was charged with one count of third-degree felony home invasion, one count misdemeanor stalking related to a domestic relationship and one count misdemeanor breaking and entering on December 12, 2025. Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit later explained the charges against Moore in a statement to the Free Press on December 13, 2025.

“The evidence that is available at this time indicates that Mr. Moore had an intent to terrorize and harass the victim — which is the basis for the stalking charge,” Savit said. “Given that his statements were those of self-harm, however, there was not sufficient evidence to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, an intent to assault or batter the victim.”

Hulk Hogan

In July 2015 multiple outlets published leaked audio from Hulk Hogan’s 2012 unauthorized sex tape in which he allegedly expressed frustration over his daughter, Brooke, dating a Black man. Hogan was accused of using the n-word multiple times and describing himself as “racist, to a point.” (Hogan later won a $115 million judgment against Gawker over the unauthorized publication of his sex tape in 2016.)

Hogan was released from his contract with WWE shortly thereafter.

“WWE terminated its contract with Terry Bollea (a.k.a. Hulk Hogan),” a company representative told Us at the time. “WWE is committed to embracing and celebrating individuals from all backgrounds as demonstrated by the diversity of our employees, performers and fans worldwide.”

“Please forgive me. Please forgive me,” Hogan begged fans during an interview with ABC News in August 2015. “I think if you look at the whole picture of who Hulk Hogan is, you can see over all the years that there’s not a racist bone in my body.”

“I’m not a racist but I never should have said what I said. It was wrong. I’m embarrassed by it,” he also said. “People need to realize that you inherit things from your environment. And where I grew up was South Tampa, Port Tampa, and it was a really rough neighborhood, very low-income. And all my friends, we greeted each other saying that word.”

Bill Belichick

In January 2024, both Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots announced they had agreed to a mutual parting of the ways with one year left in the coach’s contract. The news was a surprise given Belichick’s 24 seasons with the team.

“This is a move that we mutually agreed that is needed at this time,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said at the time, per ESPN. “What Bill accomplished, in my opinion, will never be duplicated.”

But in October 2024, Kraft told the hosts of The Breakfast Club he made the decision to fire Belichick. “I kept him for 24 years,” Kraft said. “I didn’t enjoy having to fire him, but I tried to do it – if you look at the press conference and how it happened, tried to do it in a classy way.”

He continued, “What he did for us was great. People need to adapt. People need to adapt and if they don’t, things can change. In life, it’s about getting good chemistry and trust and I feel that our record the last three or four years wasn’t what I wanted.”

Woody Hayes

Hayes’ coaching career included stints at three schools: Denison University (1946-1948), Miami University (1949-1950) and Ohio State University (1951-1978). His time at Ohio State was marked by several physical and violent outbursts, such as in 1959 when he attempted to punch reporter Al Bine and hit editor Bob Shafer instead, when he threatened to fight the athletic director at Iowa in 1965, and most notably, when he punched Clemson guard Charlie Bauman during a game.

That last offense was the one that ended Hayes’ coaching career at the school.

“He didn’t hurt Charlie,” former Ohio State player Tom Cousineau told ESPN in December 2013. “It was like a mosquito. But it was the intent. You couldn’t cross that line. It’s different when you kick a sideline marker or push a cameraman. We expected him to be that animated with us, but never with the opponent.”

Hayes didn’t travel to the team’s game the next day, when he was also fired by the program.

Bobby Knight

Knight was fired from his position as head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers in September 2000 following accusations of abuse levied by a former player. Neil Reed claimed Knight choked him in 1997. The team’s assistant coach Mike Davis took over following Knight’s dismissal.

Knight was also accused of grabbing and yelling at another player days before he was fired.

Years later, reports surfaced that Knight also choked and punched the program’s sports information director Kit Klingelhoffer.

Javaris Crittenton

Former NBA star Javaris Crittenton saw his career come crashing down in August 2011 when he was charged in the murder of Jullian Jones, a mother of four from Atlanta. He and his cousin were indicted on 12 counts connected to her death, including murder, felony murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, giving false statements, attempted murder and participation in criminal street gang activity.

Crittenton ultimately pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter with a weapon and aggravated assault with a firearm in April 2015 and was sentenced to 23 years in prison. That sentence was reduced, and he was released in April 2023.

Joe Paterno

Penn State fans were shocked when Joe Paterno was fired in 2011, especially since he was one of the most storied coaches in the program’s history. Paterno was fired for his role in failing to stop sexual abuse and assault perpetuated by defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.

A graduate assistant told Paterno that Sandusky was seen sexually assaulting a boy around the age of 10 in the showers at the school. Paterno informed athletic director Tim Curley and university vice president Gary Schultz but notably did not alert authorities or ask Sandusky about the allegation. Per ESPN, Sandusky was charged with “40 criminal counts involving the sexual assaults of eight boys over a 15-year period” and was ultimately sentenced to 30-60 years in prison.