2022 was pretty rough for these Las Vegas sports stars.
#4 Davante Adams: Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver
Davantae Adams may have made a mistake by coming to Las Vegas to play for the Las Vegas Raiders. Not only is that evident by the team’s abysmal 2022 season, but also due to Derek Carr’s job being in jeopardy. Remember that Adams came to Las Vegas to play with his old college teammate and that might not be a reality anymore.
What’s going to happen if Carr gets the boot at the end of the season? Will Adams stay the course with the Raiders or fight to get traded somewhere else? This really puts Adams in a difficult situation, where he could be stuck with an even worse quarterback. He really needs to consider his options.
#3 Max Pacioretty: former Las Vegas Golden Knights player
The Las Vegas Golden Knights have made some jaw-dropping moves in 2022, and trading Max Pacioretty might be the most controversial. Pacioretty has been with the Golden Knights since 2018, scoring 97 goals in four seasons. Pacioretty struggled to stay off the bench in 2021 however, due to various injuries to his foot and wrist.
This prompted the Golden Knights to trade him to the Carolina Panthers for future considerations in 2022. A lot of fans were upset about the Knights just giving away a key player, leaving many to wonder about the direction of the team. As for Pacioretty, he would go down with an Achilles injury only weeks after the trade.
Related: What happened last week in Las Vegas sports
#2 Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch: Las Vegas NASCAR drivers
The Busch brothers deserved so much better in 2022. Of course, Kyle Busch probably shouldn’t have made his contract negotiations public, but that is still no excuse to give up a driver like him. Busch has over 200 victories in NASCAR’s three top series and two champions on top of that. How do you let a guy like that just walk away?
Kyle’s season was a roller roster. He only managed one victory, eight top-fives, and 17 top-tens in 36 races. Busch made the 2022 playoffs but was eliminated in the round of 12. JGR should have treated Busch with more respect and they are going to feel those consequences in 2023.
Kurt Busch had a pretty bad season himself. The former Cup Series champion suffered concussion-like symptoms after a qualifying crash at Pocono Raceway. NASCAR refused to clear Kurt to compete for the rest of the season, ultimately leading him to give up his playoff spot. The Las Vegas native did manage a win at Kansas earlier in the year, but seeing him be forced to retire was heartbreaking.
#1 Joshua Jacobs: Las Vegas Raiders running back
How many times can you disrespect one player? The Raiders started the season by declining Joshua Jacobs‘ third-year rookie option, setting a grim mood. The decision meant Jacobs would have to prove himself if he wanted to keep a spot on the roster. Las Vegas later drafted two running backs the draft to amp up the pressure on Jacobs. Now it looks like the team doubted the wrong guy.
Jacobs racked up 1593, 5 yards a carry, and 11 touchdowns in 306 attempts this season. Jacobs also nabbed 43 receptions, for 369 yards and seven yards per catch. The Raiders need to pay this man a good deal of money to keep him around or risk losing him to someone that will utilize him better.
Next: 5 things Las Vegas sports fans can be thankful for
