Weirdest injuries in sports: Sneezes, pancakes, and power tools

Injuries are an inevitable part of sports, but sometimes the most mundane tasks fell professional athletes in bizarre ways that have nothing to do with bone-crunching hits or wear and tear on tired muscles.

This month alone in the NHL, New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes required surgery after cutting his finger at a team dinner, and Florida Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen burned himself in a barbecue mishap. Both players are on the shelf for multiple weeks. In the wake of those peculiar incidents, we're looking back on some of the weirdest freak injuries in sports.

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NFL | NBA | NHL | MLB | OTHER

NFL

Turk Edwards (1940)

This story is so old, some may think it's an urban legend. But the strange conclusion to Edwards' Hall of Fame career is no myth. It didn't end because of a tackle, scrum, or hit. It ended after a coin toss: The Washington star's knee gave out when his cleats got caught in the grass as he turned back to the sideline. - Daniel Valente

Bill Gramatica (2001)

Gramatica couldn't stick the landing. After hitting a trivial first-quarter field goal to put his Arizona Cardinals up 3-0 over the New York Giants during a mid-December game, the kicker jumped up for a now-infamous celebration and then tore his ACL. The Cardinals went on to lose the game, too. Maybe the "No Fun League" would be safer for the players after all. - Gianluca Nesci

Chris Hanson (2003)

"Keep chopping wood." That was the message first-year head coach Jack Del Rio intended to send the Jacksonville Jaguars when he placed an axe and tree stump in the locker room. Instead, he ended up with a bloodied floor and his punter, Hanson, out for the season; Hanson swung the axe and accidentally hit himself in the leg. - Valente

David Njoku (2023)

Cleveland Browns tight end Njoku suffered burns to his face and arm while trying to light a firepit. Luckily for Njoku, he was ready to go for the team's next game against the Baltimore Ravens, although he did show up to the stadium wearing a full facemask. - Nick Baldwin

NBA

Andrew Bynum (2012)

Bynum's career was plagued by knee issues, which continued as the Philadelphia 76ers held him out of training camp because of knee discomfort. As the center rehabbed from his latest knee injury, he suffered additional damage while bowling. Bynum never suited up for Philadelphia and made only 26 appearances the following season before retiring. - Chicco Nacion

Aaron Gordon (2023)

Happy holidays? Not exactly. The Denver Nuggets forward played in a Christmas Day game and then ended up at the hospital that night after his pet dog bit him. Gordon needed 21 stitches on his right shooting hand and face, but he only missed two games. - Nacion

NHL

Brent Sopel (2007)

Sopel, a 12-year NHL vet and Stanley Cup winner, was unavailable for a playoff game with the Vancouver Canucks due to a back issue. That's not an uncommon problem, but Sopel revealed the injury came from bending down to pick up a saltine cracker from the floor. - Sean O'Leary

Joe Sakic (2008)

While nursing a back ailment early in his final season, Sakic's spell on the sidelines went from bad to worse when he injured three fingers in a snowblower incident. He required surgery, and the Hall of Famer never suited up in an NHL game again. - O'Leary

Dustin Penner (2012)

Again, back spasms aren't out of the ordinary, but getting them while eating your wife's pancakes? Now that's a headline. Penner only missed one game, but the story stuck around much longer. The L.A. King was able to turn his pain into a positive by hosting a "Pancakes with Penner" fundraiser later that season. - Kyle Cushman

MLB

Glenallen Hill (1990)

Hill was sidelined due to cuts and scrapes after he fell through a glass table while sleepwalking. The Toronto Blue Jays outfielder suffered from an extreme case of arachnophobia and said spiders were chasing him in his dream. - Tom Ruminski

Sammy Sosa (2004)

The Cubs legend and 1998 NL MVP landed on the injured list after sneezing so hard that he sprained his back. Goose Gossage, Marc Valdes, Russ Springer, Ricky Romero, Juan Gonzalez, Mat Latos, Colby Rasmus, and Kevin Pillar are among the other MLBers to sustain injuries from sneezing. Bless you, indeed. - Ruminski

Joel Zumaya (2006)

Shredding is supposed to be cool, not dangerous. Zumaya injured his wrist playing Guitar Hero, sidelining him for three games. The silver lining? The Detroit Tigers reliever got a shoutout in the credits of the game's sequel: "No pitchers were harmed in the making of this game. Except for one. Joel Zumaya. He had it coming." - Cushman

Brandon Morrow (2018)

While taking his pants off at 3 a.m. after returning from a road trip, the Chicago Cubs closer suffered back spasms and had to be placed on the 10-day IL. - Meghan Harrison

Other

Paulo Diogo (2004)

In another moment of glory turned sour, Diogo needed to have his finger amputated after scoring a goal for Swiss club Servette FC. The former midfielder's wedding ring snagged on a metal fence while he celebrated, severing the finger as he jumped back down. He quickly realized part of his digit was missing ... after being booked for an excessive celebration. - Nesci

Bryce Mitchell (2018)

Don't stick a power drill in your pocket: That's the lesson UFC fighter Mitchell learned while doing some woodwork. Mitchell was sizing up a wooden board when the drill in his pocket turned on and ripped his scrotum in half. Safe to say "Thug Nasty" wasn't back in the Octagon - or the gym - for a little while after that one. - Baldwin