When it comes to dangerous stunts, broken bones, and outrageous self-inflicted pain, no name is more synonymous with mayhem than Johnny Knoxville, the fearless frontman of Jackass. Over the years, Knoxville has launched himself into walls, been gored by bulls, and endured countless blows to the groin — but one injury stands above the rest as truly horrific, both in physical damage and long-term consequences. We’re talking about the infamous motorcycle-flip disaster that left Johnny Knoxville with a torn urethra — an injury so painful and so private that it became legendary even among his most brutal stunts.
The Setup: Evel Knievel Meets Johnny Knoxville
In 2007, Knoxville was filming a stunt for an online web show inspired by Evel Knievel’s death-defying jumps. The goal? Pull off a backflip on a motorcycle — something he had no business attempting without proper training. Knoxville had never completed a motorcycle backflip before, and unsurprisingly, it went horribly wrong.
The stunt misfired instantly. The bike stalled mid-jump, Knoxville lost control, and he was launched off the motorcycle, slamming into the ground crotch-first. The crowd may have laughed at first, but the damage was far more serious than anyone realized.
The Injury: A Torn Urethra
When Knoxville hit the ground, the handlebars of the motorcycle rammed into his groin with devastating force. He immediately felt that something was very, very wrong. Later, in interviews, he described a bizarre and excruciating sensation: he couldn’t urinate properly and blood began to pool.
What doctors discovered was enough to make even the most hardened Jackass fans wince. Knoxville had torn his urethra, the delicate tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. It’s a rare but extremely serious injury, often seen in high-impact accidents. The result? He had to use a catheter for over three years.
Yes, you read that right. For three entire years, Knoxville had to catheterize himself twice daily. In his own words, he became “a human sprinkler system,” prone to painful urination, random leaks, and infections. It wasn’t just a short-term injury — it changed his daily life and forced him to confront his physical limits in a way he never had before.
The Aftermath: Still Smiling Through the Pain
Despite the trauma, Knoxville kept his trademark sense of humor. He frequently joked about the incident in interviews, even though the reality was brutal. He had to undergo multiple surgeries and endure a long, painful healing process — one that made his many concussions and broken ribs seem tame by comparison.
This wasn’t just a turning point for Knoxville’s body, but for his mindset too. Though he continued to perform dangerous stunts, he became more involved behind the scenes in producing and writing, particularly for the later Jackass films and spinoffs. He’s admitted that while he still loves the thrill, the injury was a wake-up call about the real toll his body was paying.
Why It Stands Out in Jackass History
Jackass is filled with legendary injuries: Steve-O’s face full of bees, Bam Margera’s broken ribs, Ryan Dunn’s burns. But Knoxville’s torn urethra stands out because of how private, long-lasting, and debilitating it was. It wasn’t just a bruise or a break — it was a fundamental injury to a vital internal system, one that no amount of adrenaline or laughter could simply shrug off.
Fans love Jackass for its cartoonish pain, but this was something darker — a glimpse into the real consequences of a career built on punishment. Johnny Knoxville, the eternal prankster, suffered through it with a grin, proving once again why he’s the fearless, tragic, and endlessly fascinating heart of the Jackass franchise.