Barry Sanders facts for kids
Sanders in 2019
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| No. 20 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
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| Born: | July 16, 1968 Wichita, Kansas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 200 lb (91 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Wichita North (Wichita, Kansas) |
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| College: | Oklahoma State (1986–1988) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1989 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3 | ||||||||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Barry Sanders (born July 16, 1968) is a famous American football player. He was a running back for the Detroit Lions in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. Even though he was only 5 feet 8 inches tall, he was known for being incredibly quick and hard to tackle. Many people think he is one of the best running backs in NFL history.
Sanders played college football for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. In 1988, he had an amazing season, rushing for 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns. He won the Heisman Trophy, which is given to the best college football player.
The Lions picked Sanders in the 1989 NFL draft. He quickly became a star, winning the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He led the league in rushing yards four times and in rushing touchdowns once. In 1997, he rushed for over 2,000 yards and was named the NFL Most Valuable Player.
Sanders surprised everyone by retiring in 1999 when he was 31. He was very close to breaking the NFL's all-time rushing record. He finished his career with 15,269 rushing yards, which is still one of the highest totals ever. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro team in every one of his 10 seasons. The Lions retired his No. 20 jersey, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and High School
Barry Sanders was born on July 16, 1968, in Wichita, Kansas. He was one of eleven children. His father worked as a roofer, and his mother was a homemaker. Barry and his brothers often helped their father with his work.
Barry played football at Wichita North High School. For most of his high school career, he played defensive back. He was considered a bit small for a running back. His older brother, Byron, was the starting running back before him.
In his senior year, Barry finally became the starting running back in the fourth game. He rushed for 274 yards and four touchdowns in that game! He ended his senior season with 1,417 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in just seven games. Even though he was a great athlete, he only received scholarship offers from a few colleges because of his size. He chose to play at Oklahoma State University.
College Football Star
Sanders played for the Oklahoma State Cowboys from 1986 to 1988. For his first two years, he was a backup to another great running back, Thurman Thomas. In 1987, he was recognized as a second-team All-American as a return specialist.
In 1988, when Thomas went to the NFL, Sanders became the starting running back. This season is considered one of the best individual seasons in college football history. He rushed for an incredible 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns. He also had over 300 rushing yards in four different games!
Sanders won the Heisman Trophy in 1988. He was also named a unanimous All-American. Even with all these awards, he was very humble. He initially thought he wouldn't enter the NFL draft, but after talking with his father, he decided to go pro.
College Statistics
| 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 | |
College Records
Barry Sanders set many records in college football. He still holds these impressive records:
- Most rushing yards in a season: 2,628
- Most rushing touchdowns in a season: 37
- Most games with 2+ rushing touchdowns in a season: 11
- Most games with 3+ rushing touchdowns in a season: 8
- Most consecutive games scoring two or more touchdowns: 13
- Most games rushing for 300+ yards in a season and career: 4
Professional Career with the Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions picked Barry Sanders third overall in the 1989 NFL draft. The Lions had not been very successful, and Sanders wanted to help "restore the roar" to the team. He signed a five-year contract and even donated some of his signing bonus to his church.
Early Years and Playoff Win (1989–1991)
In his first NFL season (1989), Sanders quickly showed his talent. He rushed for 1,470 yards and 14 touchdowns, setting a new rookie record for the Lions. He was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and made the Pro Bowl.
In 1990, he led the entire NFL in rushing yards with 1,304. He was again selected for the Pro Bowl. The Lions, however, still struggled as a team.
The 1991 season was a big one for the Lions. Sanders had 1,548 rushing yards and a career-high 16 rushing touchdowns, leading the league. The Lions finished with a 12-4 record, their best in decades, and made the playoffs. Sanders helped them win their first playoff game since 1958, beating the Dallas Cowboys. However, they lost in the next round to the Washington Redskins. This would be his only playoff win.
Mid-Career Highlights (1992–1994)
Sanders continued to be one of the league's top rushers. In 1992, he rushed for 1,352 yards. In 1993, he signed a new contract, becoming one of the highest-paid players in the NFL. Despite missing five games due to injury, he still gained 1,115 rushing yards. The Lions made the playoffs again but lost to the Green Bay Packers, even though Sanders had an amazing 169 rushing yards in that game.
The 1994 season was another incredible year for Sanders. He rushed for 1,883 yards, leading the league again. He had a career-high 237 rushing yards in one game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which was a franchise record. He was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year. The Lions made the playoffs but lost to the Packers again, in a game where Sanders had a rare negative rushing yardage total.
MVP Season and Retirement (1995–1998)
Sanders kept up his high level of play. In 1995, he rushed for 1,500 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Lions made the playoffs but were defeated by the Philadelphia Eagles in a very high-scoring game. In 1996, he led the league in rushing yards for the third time with 1,553 yards.
The 1997 season was legendary for Barry Sanders. He rushed for an incredible 2,053 yards, becoming only the third player in NFL history to reach 2,000 rushing yards in a single season. He rushed for over 100 yards in the final 14 games of the season, setting an NFL record. For this amazing achievement, he shared the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award with Brett Favre. He also won his second NFL Offensive Player of the Year award. Despite his efforts, the Lions lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In his final season, 1998, Sanders rushed for 1,491 yards. He was selected to his tenth Pro Bowl, meaning he made the Pro Bowl in every single season of his career. The Lions, however, had a tough year and missed the playoffs.
Retirement
On July 27, 1999, Barry Sanders announced his retirement from professional football. This was a big surprise because he was still playing at a very high level and was close to breaking the all-time rushing record held by Walter Payton. He retired with 15,269 rushing yards, which was the most ever by any NFL player in a 10-year span.
Sanders explained that he was frustrated with the direction of the Lions team. He felt the team wasn't getting closer to his goal of playing in the Super Bowl. He retired healthy, which is rare for a running back.
Since retiring, Sanders has reconnected with the Lions organization. He became a team ambassador in 2017. In 2023, the Lions honored him with an 8-foot bronze statue outside their stadium, Ford Field. A documentary film about his retirement, Bye Bye Barry, was released in 2023.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFL MVP and OPOTY | 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 |
Regular Season
| 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 | |
Postseason
| 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 | |
Awards and Honors
Barry Sanders received many awards and honors during his amazing career.
NFL Awards
- NFL Most Valuable Player Award (1997)
- 2× NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award (1994, 1997)
- 4× NFL rushing champion (1990, 1994, 1996, 1997)
- NFL rushing touchdowns leader (1991)
- 10× Pro Bowl (1989–1998)
- 6× First-team All-Pro (1989–1991, 1994, 1995, 1997)
- NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
- NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
- No. 20 retired by the Detroit Lions
- Pride of the Lions
College Awards
- Heisman Trophy (1988)
- Maxwell Award (1988)
- Walter Camp Award (1988)
- Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year (1988)
- Unanimous All-American (1988)
- Oklahoma State Cowboys No. 21 retired
Legacy and Impact
Barry Sanders is widely considered one of the greatest running backs in NFL history. When he retired, he was second all-time in rushing yards. He averaged 1,527 rushing yards per season and never rushed for less than 1,000 yards in any of his 10 seasons.
He was a bright spot for the Detroit Lions, helping them achieve their first playoff win in decades. Despite the team's struggles, Sanders always performed at a high level. His No. 20 jersey was retired by the Lions, and he was inducted into the Pride of the Lions ring of honor. In 2023, an 8-foot bronze statue of him was placed outside Ford Field.
Sanders was known for his humility on the field. He rarely celebrated after scoring a touchdown, simply handing the ball to the referee. He cared more about the team's success than his own statistics. He didn't like talking to the press much and was described as a "humble superstar."
His 1988 college season is often called the greatest individual college football season ever. In 2020, he was honored as the No. 9 player of all time in college football history.
Personal Life
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Barry Sanders is a Christian. He has four sons: Barry J. Sanders, Nick, Nigel, and Noah. His oldest son, Barry J. Sanders, also played running back in college at Stanford University and Oklahoma State University. 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. He is also known for donating to charities, often without wanting his name to be known.
In 2013, Barry Sanders was chosen to be on the cover of the video game Madden NFL 25. He was the first player to appear on a Madden cover more than once. He has also attended many Detroit Lions games since his retirement.
See also
- List of National Football League rushing yards leaders
- List of National Football League annual rushing touchdowns leaders
- List of National Football League rushing champions
