Glory With Grudges

With enough rivalries to go around, you'd think being on the same team would make things easier. Turns out, some of the nastiest fights in sports happen between guys wearing the same jersey. Locker room tension can burn hotter than any cross-town rivalry. The drama was real, and it got messy. So, here are some athletes who shared championships, practice fields, and dugouts—but couldn't stand each other for too long.

Keith Allison on Wikimedia

1. Barry Bonds Vs. Jeff Kent

When that dugout scuffle erupted in 2002, it shattered any illusions about harmony between two of baseball's brightest stars. Just imagine if Giants teammates Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent, the 2000 NL MVP, had channeled their competitive fire into a legendary partnership instead.

Jim Accordino at https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyack205/ on Wikimedia

2. Terrell Owens Vs. Donovan McNabb

The same theatrical flair that made Terrell Owens' touchdown celebrations a perfect spark for the Philadelphia Eagles initially energized his partnership with six-time Pro Bowl quarterback Donovan McNabb. However, Owens' post-Super Bowl XXXIX criticism of McNabb converted on-field showmanship into off-field destruction.

Collision Conf from New Orleans, Louisiana, USA on Wikimedia

3. Kobe Bryant Vs. Shaquille O’Neal

What began as a dream partnership between Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant devolved into a bitter power struggle, with Shaq dismissing his teammate as a selfish showboat. This occurred despite their incredible three-peat championship run from 2000 to 2002. 

Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA on Wikimedia

4. Brett Favre Vs. Aaron Rodgers

Few quarterback transitions have been as psychologically charged as the power struggle between Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. The veteran Favre's determination to protect his starting role clashed with his young successor's drive to prove himself.

MN National Guard on Wikimedia

5. Joe Montana Vs. Steve Young

The San Francisco 49ers' quarterback saga reached its peak when Young emerged as Montana's successor. After Montana led the team to four Super Bowl wins, a bitter rivalry developed between the veteran and his talented understudy, competing for control of the offense.

SAB0TEUR on Wikimedia

6. Alex Rodriguez Vs. Derek Jeter

Known simply as "The Captain," Derek Jeter's natural leadership in the Yankees clubhouse set a commanding tone that would later intersect with Alex Rodriguez's arrival and his staggering offensive output of 600-plus home runs. Their coexistence as teammates sparked endless media discussions.

TechCrunch on Wikimedia

7. Kevin Garnett Vs. Stephon Marbury

Minnesota's Timberwolves served as the starting point for two remarkable basketball journeys, uniting prep-to-pro pioneer Kevin Garnett with Stephon Marbury. When leadership tensions split their paths, each blazed a distinctive trail to basketball glory, with Garnett cementing his NBA legacy stateside.

Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA on Wikimedia

8. Cristiano Ronaldo Vs. Wayne Rooney

Once celebrated teammates at Manchester United, Ronaldo and Rooney's partnership would be forever altered by a pivotal moment at the 2006 World Cup. Ronaldo's role in getting Rooney sent off gave rise to lasting tension between the stars.

Mehdi Marizad on Wikimedia

9. Neymar Vs. Edinson Cavani

The arrival of Neymar at PSG seemed like a dream pairing with established striker Edinson Cavani, promising goals galore for the French giants. But what started as an exciting bond between two attacking heroes quickly soured over an unlikely issue—penalty kick duties.

Alex Fau on Wikimedia

10. Zlatan Ibrahimović Vs. Rafael Van Der Vaart

A single tackle at Ajax would send ripples through European football, as Ibrahimović's controversial challenge on teammate van der Vaart escalated from a momentary clash into a full-blown rivalry. The incident's aftershocks destabilized their working relationship and disrupted team harmony.

Jamie Smed from Cincinnati, Ohio on Wikimedia

11. Arturo Vidal Vs. Claudio Bravo

When Claudio Bravo's wife publicly blamed teammates like Arturo Vidal for Chile's 2017 World Cup qualifying disaster, few remembered that these terrible rivals had once been national team cornerstones. Bravo had made history as Barcelona's first Chilean goalkeeper.

Clément Bucco-Lechat on Wikimedia

12. Lewis Hamilton Vs. Nico Rosberg

Nico Rosberg's abrupt retirement after clinching his sole Formula One championship in 2016 spoke volumes about the psychological toll of his Mercedes bond with Lewis Hamilton. Talk about a pressure-cooker enmity, marked by intense on-track clashes that ultimately fractured their personal relationship.

AngMoKio on Wikimedia

13. Alain Prost Vs. Ayrton Senna

How did Ayrton Senna achieve his three Formula One World Championships? The answer lies partly in his explosive rivalry with McLaren teammate Alain Prost, nicknamed "The Professor" for his calculated racing approach. They had contrasting methods of pursuing victory.

MEDEF on Wikimedia

14. James Harden Vs. Chris Paul

Sports psychologists often study how dual-alpha dynamics contribute to inherent tension within professional teams, and the Harden-Paul partnership on the Houston Rockets acts as a textbook example. Their competing approaches to leadership and conflicting playing styles generated friction.

All-Pro Reels on Wikimedia

15. Jimmy Butler Vs. Karl-Anthony Towns

From the 30th pick in the 2011 draft, Butler carved his path through sheer intensity. This hard-charging style would later brew notable tension when Butler and Towns became teammates on the Minnesota Timberwolves. They displayed clashing personalities.

Erik Drost on Wikimedia

16. Draymond Green Vs. Jordan Poole

Though they shared the same locker room as teammates, their relationship took an infamous turn during a 2022 practice when Green struck Poole. Draymond Greene later voluntarily stepped away from the team and apologized publicly for the incident.

Hameltion on Wikimedia

17. Kobe Bryant Vs. Dwight Howard

The 2012–13 Lakers season showcased a fascinating clash of leadership philosophies when Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard became teammates. Despite Howard's defensive credentials, including three Defensive Player of the Year awards, their fundamentally different approaches to work ethic brought visible tension.

Erik Drost on Wikimedia

18. Reggie Jackson Vs. Thurman Munson

In the Yankees' clubhouse, two powerful symbols collided: the postseason hero "Mr. October" Reggie Jackson and Thurman Munson, who was the first Yankees captain since Lou Gehrig. Their uneasy coexistence reached its breaking point when Jackson proclaimed himself "the straw that stirs the drink.”

thepanamerican on Wikimedia

19. Kevin Durant Vs. Draymond Green

Two basketball savants with polar opposite DNA: Green, the defensive mastermind and playmaking energizer, alongside Durant, whose Finals MVP brilliance helped define the Warriors' dominance. Their partnership seemed unstoppable until that heated 2018 argument exposed the fault lines between their styles.

All-Pro Reels on Wikimedia

20. Manny Ramirez Vs. Kevin Youkilis

Though they shared the Red Sox roof as teammates, Ramirez and Youkilis proved a combustible pairing in Boston. The contrast between "The Greek God of Walks" and Ramirez's fiery temperament led to multiple heated exchanges, culminating in their infamous 2008 dugout confrontation.

Minda Haas Kuhlmann from Omaha on Wikimedia