Barry Sanders[1][2] (born July 16, 1968) is an American former professionalfootballrunning back who played for theDetroit Lions of theNational Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. Sanders led the league in rushing yards four times and in rushingtouchdowns once, establishing himself as one of the most elusive runners in the history of the NFL with his quickness and agility, despite being only 5 ft 8 tall and weighing 203 lbs.[1][3] Sanders played college football for theOklahoma State Cowboys. As ajunior in1988, he compiled what is widely considered the greatest individual season by a running back in college football history, rushing for 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns in 11 games. He won theHeisman Trophy and wasunanimously recognized as anAll-American.
Sanders was selected by the Lions in the1989 NFL draft, and had an immediate impact in his rookie season, winning theNFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. In 1991, Sanders helped lead the Lions to their first postseason win since1958. In 1994, Sanders was awarded theNFL Offensive Player of the Year Award (OPOY). In 1997, he rushed for 2,053 yards in the regular season and was co-awarded theNFL Most Valuable Player Award (shared withGreen Bay quarterbackBrett Favre), alongside his second NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award. While still performing at a high level, Sanders unexpectedly retired from professional football in 1999, at the age of 31, and 1,457 yards short of breaking the NFL's thenall-time rushing record held byWalter Payton. Sanders cited the Lions' front office and declining team production as reasons for his 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 aPro Bowl andAll-Pro team. The Lions retired Sanders' No. 20 jersey on November 25, 2004, and he was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame three months prior. A year later, Sanders was inducted into theOklahoma Sports Hall of Fame with former college teammateThurman Thomas.
In 2007, he was ranked byNFL Networks'NFL Top 10 series as the most elusive runner in NFL history, and was placed No. 1 on the list of the greatest players never to play in aSuper Bowl. He is considered by many as one of the greatest running backs in NFL history.Bleacher Report ranked Sanders No. 1 on their list of greatest running backs in NFL history. He averaged 1,527 rushing yards per season and just under 100 rushing yards per game (99.8). Sanders was first inducted into theKansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, into theCollege Football Hall of Fame in 2003 and in that same year inducted into theMichigan Sports Hall of Fame. In 2000, Sanders was included in theNFL 1990s All-Decade Team, and in 2019, Sanders was named to theNational Football League 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Sanders was born on July 16, 1968, inWichita, Kansas, the seventh of eleven children to William and Shirley Sanders.[4] His father worked as a roofer and carpenter, while his mother worked as a homemaker for the Sanders family.[5][6] Sanders and two of his brothers worked as roofers' assistants to his father. As a child, Sanders was known for having an appetite, being able to eat an entire loaf ofbread in one sitting.[7] He would often listen to regional college sports games that his father would play onTV.[8]Mitch Albom of theDetroit Free Press wrote: "All day they would labor, with the hammers, with the tar, sweating in the hot summer sun. You did not complain in the Sanders family. Not unless you wanted a good whupping."[9]
Sanders playedfootball atWichita North High School.[10] Before this, he enjoyed playingyouth football and basketball.[8] Although Barry dreamed of playing running back, he only playeddefensive back for most of his high school career.[11] Sanders was labeled as an undersized back and wasn’t a starter attailback as a junior due to futureChicago Bears draft pick and older brother Byron Sanders running the rock.[12] When Byron graduated and left forNorthwestern University on a football scholarship,[13] Sanders was expected to start at tailback in hissenior year—but instead was started atwingback—a variant of thewide receiver position.[14] His head coach at the time perceived that his small stature would be a liability and that he "lacked contact courage."[15] Besides taking part in football, he playedbasketball as aguard.[16]Table-tennis andbaseball were also sports that Sanders took part in.[7] During this period—according to writer Samuel Crompton—the Sanders family had to "scrimp and save to get by".[7]
Sanders did not become the startingrunning back until the fourth game of his senior year, when the original player was suspended for disciplinary reasons; he rushed for 274 yards and fourtouchdowns in that game.[17][18] He rushed for 1,417 yards on 139rushing attempts, averaging 10.2 yards per rushing attempt, and scored 17 touchdowns through his seven-game senior season.[10][19] In the last game of the season, Wichita North's head coach, Dale Burkholder, offered Sanders more playing time in order to gain enough rushing yards to reach the state rushing title, but Sanders declined, saying it was "not important."[20] For his season, Sanders earned all-state honors, and was named an Honorable Mention All-American.[19][21] Although he was viewed as a stellar athlete, because of his short stature Sanders received scholarship offers from onlyWichita State University,Iowa State University,University of Tulsa, andOklahoma State University; he accepted the offer from Oklahoma State.[22]
Sanders later said that his choice to play at Oklahoma State caused a conflict between him and his father. When Oklahoma State's coach came to his father's house with a letter of intent the day Sanders signed with the team, his father was frustrated, saying as the coach walked out the door that Sanders was "making a big mistake" when signing with the team.[23][20] His father was similarly frustrated because Oklahoma State played in the same conference as theOklahoma Sooners, whom William was a fan of.[20] A friend of Sanders told him that William said Sanders had chosen to play at Oklahoma State "in order to hide"; Sanders would be playing behind Heisman candidateThurman Thomas, as opposed to playing at a school where he would be the starting running back. Eventually, his father supported Sanders at Oklahoma State, and attended all of his games when he played.[23][24][25]
Sanders enrolled atOklahoma State University, where he played for theOklahoma State Cowboys from 1986 to 1988 and wore the No. 21 jersey.[26][27] During his first two years, he backed up Thomas at running back.[28] In 1986, Sanders played in eight games and rushed for 325 rushing yards on 74 rushing attempts, with two rushing touchdowns.[26] In 1987, he led the nation in yards perkickoff return (31.6), while rushing for 603 yards and scoring nine rushing touchdowns, catching four passes for 58 receiving yards and a touchdown, and scoring two touchdowns from 29 totalspecial teams returns.[29][26][30] He was named a second-teamCollege Football All-American as areturn specialist.[31] While still a backup to Thomas, he received notable attention from his opponents. Oklahoma Sooners head coachBarry Switzer in particular told his players not to injure Thomas, in fear of Sanders starting in his place, telling them: "You won't touch this kid".[28][20] Sanders was not fond of this as he believed Thomas to be a good teammate.[20] Thomas moved on to the NFL in1988, which allowed Sanders to become the starter for hisjunior year in college.[28]
In 1988, in what is considered one of the greatest individual seasons in college football history,[32][33] Sanders became the first player to open two consecutive seasons with a 100-yard kickoff return.[34] He led the nation by averaging 7.6 yards per attempt and over 200 yards per game, including rushing for over 300 yards in four games.[35] Despite his massive workload of 344 attempts, Sanders was still used as the team's punt and kickoff returner, adding another 516 yards on special teams. He set college football season records with 2,628 yards rushing, 3,250 totalall-purpose yards, broken byChristian McCaffrey in 2015, 234 points, broken byMontee Ball in 2011, 37 rushing touchdowns, and 39 total touchdowns, (37 rushing, one kick return, one punt return, tied with Ball).[30][26][36]
Sanders had five consecutive 200-yard games, scored at least two touchdowns in all eleven games, and eight times he scored at least three touchdowns.[37] Sanders ran for 222 yards and scored five touchdowns in just three quarters of action in the1988 Holiday Bowl, a game that is not included in the official NCAA season statistics.[38] When added to his original rushing total, Sanders recorded 2,850 rushing yards from a workload of 373 attempts, 3,472all-purpose yards, 264 points, 42 rushing touchdowns, and 44 total touchdowns.[39] Sanders learned of hisHeisman Trophy win while he was with the team inTokyo,Japan preparing to faceTexas Tech in theCoca-Cola Classic, accepting the award via satellite;[40] he garnered 559 first-place votes for 1,878 points, becoming the eighth non-college senior to attain the trophy, and was selected as aunanimous All-American.[10][41][42][43] Nevertheless, he believedRodney Peete should have won the award.[44] Along with his Heisman Trophy, Sanders was awarded theMaxwell Award, theWalter Camp Award, and named theBig Eight Offensive Player of the Year.[26][45] Sanders initially announced that he was not going to enter theNFL draft, but after receiving pressure from his father, he announced his entrance into the draft.[46]
| Season | Team | GP | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | Y/G | TD | Rec | Yds | TD | |||
| 1986 | Oklahoma State | 8 | 74 | 325 | 4.4 | 40.6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | Oklahoma State | 11 | 105 | 603 | 5.7 | 54.8 | 9 | 4 | 58 | 1 |
| 1988 | Oklahoma State | 11 | 344 | 2,628 | 7.6 | 238.9 | 37 | 19 | 106 | 0 |
| Total | 30 | 523 | 3,556 | 6.8 | 118.5 | 48 | 23 | 164 | 1 | |
Sanders set 34 NCAA Division I FBS records in his college career, and still holds the following records:[30][10]
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft7+5⁄8 in (1.72 m) | 203 lb (92 kg) | 4.37 s | ||||||||||
| All values fromPro Day[51] | ||||||||||||
Sanders, a college junior, was originally ineligible for theNFL Draft. However,Oklahoma State had been under investigation by theNCAA for recruiting violations. On the first day of 1989, the NCAA placed the Cowboys on four years' probation.[52] If Sanders had stayed for his senior season, his games would not have been televised live, and he would not be able to play in a bowl game. Due to these circumstances, NFL commissionerPete Rozelle allowed Sanders to enter the draft.[53] One year after he was selected, the NFL allowed all juniors to participate.[54] During pre-draft measurements, Sanders was measured at 5 ft 8 in tall, and weighed at 203 lbs.[1]
TheDetroit Lionsdrafted Sanders third overall in the1989 NFL draft, afterTroy Aikman andTony Mandarich, thanks to the endorsement of head coachWayne Fontes.[27][55] The Lions competed in theCentral Division of theNational Football Conference (NFC).[56] Since the completion of theNFL-AFL merger in 1970, the Lions had made the postseason only twice, and had not had a season at or above .500 since their most recent playoff season in 1983.[56] Fontes, who took over the coaching position midway through the previous season, was impressed with Sanders' athletic ability after he lifted 225 lbs (102 kg) for 21reps.[27][57] Lions' management considered drafting another "Sanders", cornerbackDeion Sanders, but Fontes convinced them to draft Barry instead.[58] Fontes offered Sanders jersey No. 20, which had been worn by former Lions running backBilly Sims; Sims was one of the league's premier running backs in the early 1980s, and Fontes requested he wear the number in tribute to Sims.[59] Sanders had doubts about what his career would have been like if another team selected him, such as theGreen Bay Packers, who selected Mandarich at No. 2, later saying: "I don't know what I would've done if I was drafted by Green Bay, I don't know if I would've wanted to play in Green Bay, I don't think I could've handled this weather every day."[60]
Sanders did not participate in the training camp of his rookie season due to a contract dispute.[61] He eventually came to monetary terms with the Lions, signing a deal for five years, $9.5 million, including a $2.1 million signing bonus—ten percent of which ($210,000), he donated to his local church: Paradise Baptist Church.[62][18] In his first Lions press conference, Sanders prefaced that he wanted to assist in restoring the franchise's reputation in the NFL landscape, stating that he wanted to help "restore the roar in the dome."[20]
As a rookie in 1989, Sanders started 13 out of a possible 16 games for the Lions.[63] In his first career professional game against thePhoenix Cardinals on September 10, Sanders ran for 71 yards on nine attempts and scored a rushing touchdown in the 16–13 loss.[64][65] Against theChicago Bears, Sanders compiled 126 yards on 18 attempts and a touchdown in the 47–27 loss, but became injured with bruised ribs and ahip pointer that plagued him through the rest of the season.[66][67][68] On October 1, Sanders only had one yard on five attempts against thePittsburgh Steelers in the 23–3 loss.[69] Against theMinnesota Vikings, Sanders had 23 attempts for 99 yards in the 24–17 loss.[70] After the game, Vikings head coachJerry Burns asked game officials to check if Sanders had appliedsilicone to himself; Burns believed this was why his players had difficultytackling him.[71] No illegal substance was ever found.[68] On December 24, the final game of the season, he had 158 yards on 20 attempts to go along with three touchdowns against theAtlanta Falcons.[72] During the game, the Lions installed a special phone line in one of the press boxes to monitorChristian Okoye, a running back for theKansas City Chiefs who, at the time, was tied with Sanders for the league rushing title. When Okoye's game ended, Sanders trailed Okoye by only ten yards. Fontes offered Sanders the chance to return to the Lions' game to gain enough yards to pass Okoye, after Sanders was pulled from the game when the score was in the Lions' favor. Yet Sanders declined to return to the game, letting Okoye keep the rushing title.[73][74][75] Sanders finished the season totaling 1,470 rushing yards off of 280 attempts and 14 touchdowns.[76] His rushing total was both a rookie franchise record, and a franchise record for any running back in Lions history (both records held previously byBilly Sims).[77] Sanders was awarded theNFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, and named to thePFWA All-Rookie Team.[78] He was also selected to thePro Bowl and was named afirst-team All-Pro by theAssociated Press (AP).[1][79] The Lions struggled that season, posting a7–9 record and failing to make thepostseason, despite winning five straight games to end the year.[80]
On September 9, 1990, against theTampa Bay Buccaneers, Sanders had 79 yards from 14 rushing attempts and a goal-line touchdown in the 38–21 loss in the Lions' regular season opener.[81] Against theGreen Bay Packers on September 30, Sanders had 20 attempts for 94 yards in the 24–21 loss in Week 4.[82] Sanders had 16 attempts for 90 yards and a touchdown, coupled with five receptions for 135 yards receiving and a 47-yard receiving touchdown against theKansas City Chiefs in the 43–24 loss in Week 6.[83] On November 4, playing against theWashington Redskins, Sanders had 11 rushes for 104 yards and a touchdown, in a game where the Lions surrendered a 21-point lead to lose 38–41.[84][85] On December 10 against theLos Angeles Raiders, Sanders was credited with a season-high 176 yards from 25 attempts and two touchdowns in the 38–31 loss.[86] He earned his first NFC Offensive Player of the Week honor for his game against the Raiders.[87] On December 22 against the Packers, Sanders had 19 attempts for 133 yards and a touchdown in the 24–17 victory.[88] Sanders had a productive year, finishing the year first in the NFL in rushing yards, with 1,304, becoming the first Lions running back to lead the league in rushing yards sinceByron White in1940.[89][90][91] He ranked third in rushing touchdowns (13), and sixth in both attempts (255), and yards per attempt (5.1).[92] As a result, Sanders was selected to his second Pro Bowl and was again named an AP first-team All-Pro.[93][94] The Lions finished the year with a6–10 record and missed the postseason for the seventh consecutive season.[56][95]
On September 1, 1991, Sanders was inactive for the Lions' 45–0 shutout loss against theWashington Redskins, due to having sore ribs before the opening kickoff. The loss was the franchise's worst in over 20 years.[96] On November 24, 1991, against theMinnesota Vikings, Sanders dominated, with 220 rushing yards on 23 attempts and four touchdowns, a game the Lions won 34–14.[97] Sanders dedicated the win to teammateMike Utley, who suffered a career-endingspinal cord injury the previous game.[98][99] In the final game of the regular season against theBuffalo Bills, Sanders had 26 attempts for 108 yards and a touchdown, butfumbled in Lions territory, allowing the Bills to tie the game; the Lions would still be victorious, ending 17–14 in overtime.[100] Sanders finished the regular season with 1,548 rushing yards from a workload of 342 attempts. He led the league in rushing touchdowns, with a career-high 16.[101] Subsequently, he was selected to the Pro Bowl and AP first-team All-Pro team and awarded theBert Bell Award.[1] The 1991 season was the most successful season in terms of wins with Sanders starting at running back. With a12–4 record, the Lions clinched theNFC Central and made the postseason for the first time since1983, with Fontes being awarded that year'sNational Football League Coach of the Year Award.[102] Until 2024, the 12 wins were the most in a season by the Lions franchise in its history.[56] Having theNo. 2seed in theNFC, the Lions skipped theWild Card Round and advanced to theDivisional Round, where they faced theDallas Cowboys. Sanders helped lead the Lions to their first postseason victory since the team won the1957 NFL Championship Game. In the game, Sanders was held to only 22 yards rushing before he broke away for a 47-yard touchdown run, in which he broke several tackles to close out the 38–6 victory.[20][103][104] In theNFC Championship Game, Sanders was held to eleven attempts for 44 yards in the Lions' blowout 41–10 loss to the eventual Super Bowl-winning Redskins.[97] Sanders finished the postseason with 23 attempts for 113 yards and a touchdown. He would never win another playoff game in his career after that season.[97][20]
On September 13, 1992, Sanders had 26 attempts for 66 yards against theMinnesota Vikings.[105] Against theWashington Redskins the following week, Sanders recorded 14 attempts for only 34 yards in the 13–10 loss.[106] On November 22, Sanders compiled 29 attempts for 151 yards and a touchdown against theCincinnati Bengals.[105] His rushing total against the Bengals brought his career total to 5,202 rushing yards, passing Sims for a new franchise record.[107] Sanders finished his final regular season game with 19 attempts for 104 yards against theSan Francisco 49ers.[105] Overall, Sanders was credited with 1,352 rushing yards from a workload of 312 attempts and nine touchdowns; his rushing yards total ranked fourth in the league, and his attempts ranked third.[108] He was selected to the Pro Bowl and named an AP second-team All-Pro for the first time.[1] The Lions regressed from their previous season, posting a5–11 record for the year, and missed the playoffs after making the conference championship the prior year.[109][110]
During the 1993 season, Sanders appeared to be well on his way to that year's NFL rushing title; however, on November 25, 1993, against theChicago Bears, after rushing for 63 yards on 16 attempts, Sanders was forced to leave the game with an injury.[111][112] The Lions revealed after the game that Sanders had suffered atorn medial collateral ligament (MCL), and would miss three to five weeks. It was subsequently revealed by a physician that Sanders had also torn hisposterior cruciate ligament.[113] As a result, Sanders was inactive for the last five games of the regular season.[112][44] In his final contract year, Sanders and the Lions agreed to a four-year, $17.2-million contract, making him the highest-paid running back in the NFL, and the third-highest-paid player overall, behindJohn Elway andSteve Young.[114][115] Starting in only 11 games due to the injury, he finished in the top ten in multiple rushing categories.[116] Sanders was fifth in the league in rushing yards (1,115 rushing yards), ninth in attempts (243), and second in rushing yards per game (101.4 rushing yards per game); with a career-low three rushing touchdowns.[117] He was named to the Pro Bowl and an AP second-team All-Pro.[107][1] The Lions finished the regular season with a10–6 record, clinching the NFC Central and a postseason berth.[56] The Lions faced their division rivalGreen Bay Packers in theWild Card Round. Sanders, after being cleared for the game, recorded 27 attempts for 169 yards, the best statistical postseason game of his career; but the Lions lost 28–24.[118][119]
“We’re learning little by little, the hard way, that when Barry Sanders is not having the day you expect him to have, it’s hard for this team to win.”
On September 11, 1994, Sanders struggled, as he had 12 attempts for only 16 yards in a 10–3 loss against theMinnesota Vikings.[121] Against theDallas Cowboys the following week, Sanders improved with a career-high 40 attempts for 194 yards.[121] For his performance, he was named the NFC Offensive Player of The Week.[122] On September 25, 1994, against theNew England Patriots, Sanders recorded 18 attempts for 131 yards and two touchdowns.[123] During the game, Sanders had one of the most memorable runs of his career. While rushing 39 yards for a touchdown, Sanders juked and spun his way to the end zone, causing Patriots safetyHarlon Barnett to spin around trying to tackle Sanders. Barnett later spoke of the moment: "I'm not embarrassed about what happened. I thought I did pretty good. I got in front of him twice", Barnett then added, "I just didn't stay there."[124] Against theTampa Bay Buccaneers, in a 14–9 win, Sanders had arguably the best statistical game of his career, compiling a career-high 237 rushing yards (franchise record), off of 26 attempts; setting the record for most rushing yards in a single game without scoring a touchdown.[125][126][127][128] Sanders entered the final game of the season within striking distance of 2,000 yards rushing, but finished the loss to theMiami Dolphins with only 12 carries for 52 yards.[129] Nonetheless, Sanders finished first in the league in rushing yards, recording 331 attempts for 1,883 yards rushing and scoring seven touchdowns. His single-season rushing total was fourth in NFL history up to that point.[130] He totaled 2,166yards from scrimmage, which, at the time, was the seventh-most ever in a season.[131][132] As a result of his season, he was selected to the Pro Bowl and named an AP first-team All-Pro after the regular season. Sanders was named theNFL Offensive Player of the Year (OPOTY) for the1994 season and finished second inNFL Most Valuable Player voting behind Steve Young.[1] The Lions finished the year with a9–7 record and made the postseason with awild card spot.[56] The Lions faced the Green Bay Packers again in theWild Card Round, after being defeated by them the previous season. On December 31, Sanders struggled against the Packers and recorded what is viewed as the worst game of his career, having 13 attempts for -1 rushing yards. Six of his 13 attempts went for negative yardage, and the Lions as a team were held to only -4 rushing yards in the game, losing 16–12.[133][121][134]
The 1995 season began against thePittsburgh Steelers; Sanders recorded 21 rushing attempts for 108 yards.[135] On September 25 against theSan Francisco 49ers, Sanders had a down game, recording 17 attempts for only 24 yards.[135] Against theCleveland Browns, Sanders improved with 157 yards from 18 attempts and three touchdowns, including a 75-yard touchdown run, in a 38–20 victory.[135] Sanders finished with 314 attempts for 1,500 yards and 11 touchdowns. For his season, Sanders was selected to the Pro Bowl and named an AP first-team All-Pro.[1] The Lions posted a10–6 record and made the postseason with a wild card spot, where they faced thePhiladelphia Eagles in theWild Card Round.[56] Sanders had ten attempts for 40 yards as the Lions' rushing game was stuffed by the Eagles' defense. The Lions were likewise overwhelmed by the Eagles' offense and faced a 44-point deficit in the third quarter 51–7, eventually losing the game 58–37; despite teammateLomas Brown stating before the game that a Lions victory was "guaranteed".[136][137] At the time, this was the highest-scoring postseason game in NFL history, with 95 points scored.[138][139] This record was bested by one point in a 51–45 victory by theArizona Cardinals over theGreen Bay Packers in2009.[140]
In 1996, during the first game of the season against theMinnesota Vikings, Sanders recorded 24 rushing attempts for 163 rushing yards.[141] Against theOakland Raiders, Sanders had nine attempts for only 36 yards.[141] On November 3 against theGreen Bay Packers, Sanders had 20 attempts for 152 yards and a touchdown.[141] Against theSeattle Seahawks on November 17, Sanders had 16 attempts for 134 yards and a touchdown.[141][142] Against theChicago Bears the following week, Sanders had 21 attempts for 107 yards and a touchdown.[141] Sanders had 20 attempts for 134 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings, but a missed two-point conversion attempt after his touchdown resulted in the Lions losing 22–24.[143] In the final game of the season, he recorded 28 attempts for 175 yards against theSan Francisco 49ers.[141] Overall, Sanders finished the regular season first in the league in rushing yards with 1,553 rushing yards from 307 attempts. He scored 11 rushing touchdowns, and had 97.1 rushing yards per game, which was first in the league.[144] At this point in his career, Sanders had 11,725 career rushing yards, seventh all-time, and ranked eighth all-time in career rushing touchdowns, with 84.[145][146][147] The Lions regressed, posting a5–11 record, and failed to make the postseason after three straight playoff seasons from 1993 to 1995; though Sanders still made the Pro Bowl and was named an AP second-team All-Pro.[1][56]
Before the start of the 1997 season, Fontes was fired after nine seasons coaching the Lions, and replaced byBobby Ross; Sanders was saddened by Fontes' firing, believing he deserved another chance at coaching the team.[148] On September 7 against theTampa Bay Buccaneers, Sanders struggled on the ground, having 10 attempts for only 20 yards, but recorded 102 receiving yards and a touchdown.[149] On October 12, Sanders dominated with 215 yards from 24 attempts and two touchdowns against the Buccaneers, passingJim Brown to be the fourth-ranked career rushing leader in NFL history, with 12,513 career rushing yards; he also caught a seven-yard touchdown pass.[149][150] Against theIndianapolis Colts, Sanders had another stellar performance, compiling 24 attempts for 216 yards and two touchdowns (including one of 80 yards).[149] With the win, Sanders became the first running back with ten consecutive games with 100 yards rushing in a season, and became the first running back to have three touchdowns of 80+ yards in a season.[151] Against theChicago Bears, Sanders had 19 attempts for 167 yards and three touchdowns, passingEric Dickerson to become the second-ranked rusher for career yards behindWalter Payton[149][152] On December 21, 1997, Sanders entered the season finale against theNew York Jets needing at least 131 rushing yards to reach 2,000 for the season; both teams needed a win to clinch a playoff berth.[153][149] Sanders reached the 2,000 mark on a two-yard run; finishing the game with 23 attempts for 184 yards and a touchdown; helping the Lions edge the Jets 13–10.[149][154] Sanders had a season that is considered among the greatest ever by a running back.[155] He recorded 2,053 rushing yards, which was first in the league that season, from 335 attempts and 11 touchdowns, becoming just the third running back in history to reach2,000 rushing yards in a season. For his accomplishments, he credited hisoffensive linemen, stating: "Without them, I wouldn't have run far at all."[156] Sanders rushed for 100+ yards in the season's final 14 games, an NFL record.[149] With 2,358 total scrimmage yards, he broke the single-season record for scrimmage yards that was held byMarcus Allen; the record was broken two seasons later byMarshall Faulk, and again byChris Johnson in 2009.[157] Sanders was named to the Pro Bowl and AP first-team All-Pro, and awarded the Bert Bell Award. Sanders was also awarded his second NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award, and theNFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) (co-won withBrett Favre).[1] The Lions posted a9–7 record and clinched a wild card spot as the No. 5 seed in the NFC.[56] Sanders and the Lions faced the Buccaneers, who were playing their first home postseason game since 1979.[158] Sanders had 18 attempts for 65 yards as the Lions lost 10–20 in theWild Card Round, after quarterbackScott Mitchell left the game with an injury in the third quarter.[159][160]
On September 13, 1998, against theCincinnati Bengals, Sanders recorded 185 rushing yards from 26 rushing attempts with three touchdowns in the 34–28 loss in Week 2.[161] Sanders had 22 attempts for 69 yards in a 6–29 loss against theMinnesota Vikings.[161] On November 26, 1998, against thePittsburgh Steelers, Sanders had a down game, with 20 attempts for only 33 rushing yards; the Lions were still victorious 19–16 in overtime.[161] Against theJacksonville Jaguars, Sanders had 18 attempts for 102 yards.[161] In Sanders' final game of his career, on December 27, 1998, he had 19 attempts for 41 yards in a 10–19 loss against theBaltimore Ravens.[161] Sanders capped off his final season with 1,491 rushing yards (fourth in the league), from a career-high 343 attempts (fifth in the league), and four touchdowns.[162] He was nine yards short of completing five straight seasons with at least 1,500 rushing yards. He was selected to his tenth Pro Bowl, and named an AP second-team All-Pro.[1] The Lions struggled despite Sanders' performances, going5–11, and failing to make the playoffs.[163][164]
On July 27, 1999, Sanders announced his retirement from pro football, the day before Lions training camp was set to start. His retirement was made public by faxing a letter toThe Wichita Eagle, his hometown newspaper.[20] In the letter, Sanders wrote:[165]
"Shortly after the end of last season, I felt that I probably would not return for the 1999–2000 season. I also felt that I should take as much time as possible to sort through my feelings and make sure that my feelings were back with conviction. Today, I officially declare my departure from the NFL."
He left football healthy, having gained 15,269 rushing yards (the most ever by any NFL player in a 10-year span).[1] He retired within 1,457 rushing yards ofWalter Payton's career rushing mark of 16,726 yards.[166] It has been speculated that Sanders would have surpassed the record if he had not retired early, a view held byEmmitt Smith, the eventual holder of the record.[167][20] His father praised him for his decision, saying that it "took guts."[20] Sanders took time in his decision, waiting "till the last minute."[20] His retirement voided $20.9 million in collective salary and bonuses, along with millions of dollars in endorsements.[44]
Sanders' retirement came somewhat unexpectedly and was a matter of controversy. Two years earlier, Sanders had renewed his contract with the Lions for $34.56 million over six years with an $11 million signing bonus.[168] The Lions demanded that he return $7.37 million of the bonus.[169] Sanders' agents refused, and the Lions filed a grievance with the NFL.[170] On February 15, 2000, an arbitrator ruled that Sanders had to immediately repay $1,833,000 (one sixth of the bonus), with three sixths of the bonus to be repaid over each of the three years Sanders had left on the contract provided he stayed retired.[171] Before the ruling, Sanders offered to pay back the entire bonus in return for him being traded to another team or his release.[170]
It was thought by some that Lions head coachBobby Ross himself may have actually been the reason for Sanders' early retirement, but in his autobiographyBarry Sanders: Now You See Him, Sanders praised Ross as a head coach who had nothing directly to do with his retirement. It was more his frustration with the management and direction of the Lions and the resulting lack of success that contributed to his retirement, as Sanders revealed in his autobiography: "My retirement letter didn't even hint at my frustration, because I didn't want to take shots at people as I left ... Management had let quality players slip away. We'd been losing for years. Now we were right back where we were when I arrived." He wrote: "A goal that I still hadn't realized was playing in the Super Bowl, and all of the statistical achievements didn't put the team any closer to playing in the big game."[172] Sanders has since patched things up with the Lions, rejoining the organization in a paid role as a team ambassador in 2017, and they dedicated a bronze statue to him outside Ford Field in September 2023.[173]
On November 21, 2023,Bye Bye Barry, a documentary film about his decision to retire while approaching the all-time rushing record, was released on Amazon Prime.[174]
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFL MVP andOPOTY | GS | Games started | TD | Touchdowns | |
| NFL Offensive Player of the Year | Att | Rushing attempts | FD | First downs | |
| Led the league | Yds | Yards | Rec | Receptions | |
| GP | Games played | Avg | Average yards | Fum | Fumbles |
| Bold | Career-high | Lng | Longest (attempt or reception) | Lost | Fumbles lost |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Y/G | Lng | TD | FD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 1989 | DET | 15 | 13 | 280 | 1,470 | 5.3 | 98.0 | 34 | 14 | — | 24 | 282 | 11.8 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 1990 | DET | 16 | 16 | 255 | 1,304 | 5.1 | 81.5 | 45 | 13 | — | 36 | 480 | 13.3 | 47 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| 1991 | DET | 15 | 15 | 342 | 1,548 | 4.5 | 103.2 | 69 | 16 | — | 41 | 307 | 7.5 | 34 | 1 | 18 | 5 | 1 |
| 1992 | DET | 16 | 16 | 312 | 1,352 | 4.3 | 84.5 | 55 | 9 | — | 29 | 225 | 7.8 | 48 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 2 |
| 1993 | DET | 11 | 11 | 243 | 1,115 | 4.6 | 101.4 | 42 | 3 | — | 36 | 205 | 5.7 | 17 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| 1994 | DET | 16 | 16 | 331 | 1,883 | 5.7 | 117.7 | 85 | 7 | 76 | 44 | 283 | 6.4 | 22 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | DET | 16 | 16 | 314 | 1,500 | 4.8 | 93.8 | 75 | 11 | 72 | 48 | 398 | 8.3 | 40 | 1 | 18 | 4 | 2 |
| 1996 | DET | 16 | 16 | 307 | 1,553 | 5.1 | 97.1 | 54 | 11 | 81 | 24 | 147 | 6.1 | 28 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 1997 | DET | 16 | 16 | 335 | 2,053 | 6.1 | 128.3 | 82 | 11 | 86 | 33 | 305 | 9.2 | 66 | 3 | 11 | 4 | 2 |
| 1998 | DET | 16 | 16 | 343 | 1,491 | 4.3 | 93.2 | 73 | 4 | 65 | 37 | 289 | 7.8 | 44 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 1 |
| Career | 153 | 151 | 3,062 | 15,269 | 5.0 | 99.8 | 85 | 99 | 380 | 352 | 2,921 | 8.3 | 66 | 10 | 91 | 44 | 15 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Y/G | Lng | TD | FD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 1991 | DET | 2 | 2 | 23 | 113 | 4.9 | 56.5 | 47 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 45 | 5.0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 | DET | 1 | 1 | 27 | 169 | 6.3 | 169.0 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | DET | 1 | 1 | 13 | −1 | −0.1 | −1.0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1.3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | DET | 1 | 1 | 10 | 40 | 4.0 | 40.0 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 9.5 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1997 | DET | 1 | 1 | 18 | 65 | 3.6 | 65.0 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 43 | 8.6 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 6 | 6 | 91 | 386 | 4.2 | 64.3 | 47 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 111 | 5.3 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | |
Sanders is widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs in the history of the NFL, being ranked No. 1 byBleacher Report and in the top ten by other media outlets.[181][182] When he retired, Sanders was ranked second all-time in career rushing yards with 15,269 rushing yards, sixth all-time in career rushing touchdowns with 99 rushing touchdowns, and second all-time in career rushing attempts with 3,062 attempts. As of 2022, Sanders is still ranked in the top ten in all three statistics.[183][184][185] Over his entire career, Sanders averaged 1,527 rushing yards per season, and 99.8 rushing yards per game, the latter stat second to Jim Brown.[1][186] He never went below 1,000 yards in any of his ten seasons and has the second-most career 1,000-yard rushing seasons, with ten.[187][1] Sanders was a notable bright spot on a Lions franchise that had endured years of unsuccessful play, helping to lead the team to their first playoff victory in decades.[188] At the same time, Sanders only won one playoff game throughout his ten-year career, withNFL Network's Derrin Horton stating: "Not even Barry Sanders... could pull Detroit out of the playoff snakebit," in reference to the team's postseason failures.[189] The Lions' overall unsuccessful play was noted for possibly being a reason for Sanders' early retirement.[172] His number 20 was retired by the Lions on November 25, 2004, along with Sims andLem Barney (who wore the same number).[190] Sanders was also honored by the Lions when they inducted him into thePride of the Lions, the franchise's ring of honor.[191] In 2023, the Lions also immortalized Sanders with an 8-foot bronze statue located outside ofFord Field.[192]
Throughout his career, he achieved Pro Bowl and All-Pro status in all ten of his NFL seasons.[1] Sanders was named first-team All-Pro six times; and named second-team All-Pro four times. Sanders was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1994 and 1997, awarded two Bert Bell Awards, and was named to the 1990s NFL All-Decade team. Both thePro Football Hall of Fame andOklahoma Sports Hall of Fame enshrined him on August 8, 2004, and August 21, 2005, respectively.[193][194] At the age of 36, Sanders became the second-youngest player to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[195] In 2019, Sanders was named to theNFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.[196] In 2007, he was ranked byNFL Network'sNFL Top 10 series as the most elusive runner in NFL history, and in 2012 was placed No. 1 on their list of the greatest players to never play in a Super Bowl.[197][198]
Sanders led the NFL in rushing yards four times (second to Brown), and in rushing touchdowns once in 1994. He co-won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award in 1997 (withBrett Favre) after rushing for 2,053 yards in 16 games, becoming the third running back to surpass 2,000 yards. In the same season, Sanders totaled a record 2,358 yards from scrimmage, later surpassed by bothMarshall Faulk andChris Johnson. By the end of his career, Sanders was known as "one of the game's most electrifying runners", as described by the Pro Football Hall of Fame; this was a view shared bySports Illustrated, who described him as "running circles around NFL defenses with an electrifying style unlike anything the league has seen."[199][194] His 1989 season is regarded as one of the best all-time by a rookie running back, ranked No. 3 by NFL analyst Elliot Harrison, and No 4. byESPN analyst Jeff Merron.[200][201] In 1999, an ESPN survey of journalists, athletes, and other sports figures ranked Sanders as the 76th greatest North American athlete of the 20th-century.[202]
Although he sat behind fellow Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas on thedepth chart for his first two collegiate seasons, Sanders is considered one of the greatest college football players of all time. His Heisman trophy-winning season in 1988, in which he set single-season college football records for most rushing yards gained, touchdowns scored, and total scrimmage yards (among other records), is often considered the greatest individual college football season ever, ranked No. 1 by ESPN and Sporting News.[203][32][204] In commemoration of the 150th year of college football, Sanders was honored duringhalftime at theCollege Football Playoff National Championship game on January 13, 2020, as the No. 9 player of all time.[205]
In contrast to many of the star players of his era, Sanders was noted for his on-field humility.[206] Despite his flashy playing style, Sanders was rarely seen celebrating after the whistle was blown; instead, he handed the ball to a referee, and was never tempted into celebrating any further.[207] He was recognized for putting his team's success over his stats, as shown when he denied a request from head coach Wayne Fontes to return to play in a game so that he could gain enough rushing yards to become the rushing leader for that season.[75] He disliked speaking to the press, and rarely spoke about his accomplishments publicly.[20] When reflecting on his career, ESPN described Sanders as a "humble superstar."[208]
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Sanders is a Christian.[209] He and his wife, Lauren Campbell Sanders, a former news anchor forWDIV in Detroit, filed for divorce in February 2012 after 12 years of marriage.[210] Sanders' brother, Byron, was the starting running back atNorthwestern University, and would be selected by the Chicago Bears in the 9th round of the1989 NFL draft.[211] Byron was cut by the Bears two months after joining the franchise.[212]
Sanders has four sons:Barry J. Sanders, Nick, Nigel, and Noah; the youngest three are from his marriage to Campbell.[213][214] When the couple divorced, Sanders requested joint custody of them, while Campbell kept their medical coverage.[210] Sanders' oldest son, Barry J. Sanders, played running back atStanford University from 2012 to 2015, and Oklahoma State University in 2016.[215][216] In 2022–2023, his son Nick played basketball at Michigan State University. In 2003, Sanders co-wrote his autobiography,Barry Sanders: Now You See Him: His Story In His Own Words, with Mark McCormick.[217] He has reportedly donated to several charities, under the condition that they do not disclose his participation in any of them.[18]
Sanders introduced ESPN'sMonday Night Football game between theChicago Bears and the Lions on October 10, 2011.[218] In April 2013, Sanders made it to the finals of the vote to be on the cover ofEA SportsMadden NFL 25, which celebrated the game's 25th anniversary, by beating head coachRon Rivera in Round One, running backMarcus Allen in Round Two, linebackerRay Lewis in Round Three, quarterbackJoe Montana in the quarter-finals, and wide receiverJerry Rice in the semi-finals. In the final round, he defeated running backAdrian Peterson to become the next cover athlete, the first player to appear on the cover ofMadden NFL Football more than once (he appeared in the background of theMadden NFL 2000 cover).[219][220]
In December 2024, Sanders opened a new car wash inMadison Heights, Michigan.[221] Sanders has been to manyLions games including the playoffs.
The only serious question when composing this list was 'Who's No. 2?'
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