Barry Sanders

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Sanders unexpectedly retired from professional football in 1999, at the age of 31, and 1,457 yards short of breaking the NFL's then all-time rushing record held by Walter Payton. He cited the Lions' front office and declining team production as reasons for his early retirement. He finished his career with 15,269 rushing yards (fourth all-time), and 99 rushing touchdowns (tenth all-time); in each of his ten seasons he was selected to a Pro Bowl and All-Pro team. The Lions retired Sanders' No. 20 jersey on November 25, 2004, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame three months prior.

In Their Own Story

The stadium lights hummed against the cold Detroit night, casting long shadows across the frozen turf. The crowd roared, a deafening wall of sound that vibrated through the soles of Barry's cleats. He took the snap from center, the ball hitting his hands with a familiar thud. Before the defensive line could even react to the play call, Sanders dropped his shoulder and cut hard left, then instantly reversed direction to the right. A linebacker lunged, fingers grazing the fabric of his jersey, but Sanders spun away as if gravity had lost its hold on him. He saw a sliver of daylight near the sideline, a gap no wider than a hand. With a burst of acceleration that defied physics, he darted through it, leaving three defenders grasping at air behind him. The crowd erupted in unison as Sanders crossed the goal line, leaving the defense chasing ghosts.

Reader's Guide

Sanders was born in Wichita, Kansas, the seventh of eleven children. He played football at Wichita North High School, where he did not become the starting running back until the fourth game of his senior year. He rushed for 1,417 yards on 139 rushing attempts, averaging 10.2 yards per attempt, and scored 17 touchdowns in his seven-game senior season. He earned all-state honors and was named an Honorable Mention All-American. He accepted a scholarship offer from Oklahoma State University. In college, he backed up Thurman Thomas for two years before becoming the starter in 1988, when he rushed for a record 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns in 11 games, winning the Heisman Trophy.

Did You Know?

• Sanders averaged 1,527 rushing yards per season and just under 100 rushing yards per game (99.8).
• In 1997, he rushed for 2,053 yards and was the sole winner of the AP NFL Most Valuable Player Award.
• Sanders was ranked by NFL Networks' NFL Top 10 series as the most elusive runner in NFL history.
• He was placed No. 1 on the list of the greatest players never to play in a Super Bowl.