Billy Sims facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Billy Sims

Sims in 2010
No. 20
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1955-09-18) September 18, 1955 (age 69) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	212 lb (96 kg)
Career information
High school:	Hooks (Hooks, Texas)
College:	Oklahoma (1975–1979)
NFL Draft:	1980 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1
Career history
Detroit Lions (1980)
Career highlights and awards
Offensive Rookie of the Year (1980) First-team All-Pro (1981) Second-team All-Pro (1980) 3× Pro Bowl (1980–1982) NFL rushing touchdowns co-leader (1980) PFWA All-Rookie Team (1980) Detroit Lions 75th Anniversary Team Detroit Lions All-Time Team Detroit Lions No. 20 retired National champion (1975) Heisman Trophy (1978) UPI Player of the Year (1978) Davey O'Brien Memorial Trophy (1978) SN Player of the Year (1978) Chic Harley Award (1978) 2× Unanimous All-American (1978, 1979) 2× Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year (1978, 1979) 2× First-team All-Big Eight (1978, 1979)
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 5,106 Rushing average: 4.5 Rushing touchdowns: 42 Receptions: 186 Receiving yards: 2,072 Receiving touchdowns: 5
Player stats at PFR
College Football Hall of Fame

Billy Ray Sims (born September 18, 1955) is a former American football running back. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons. Sims played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners. There, he was a two-time All-American. He also won the famous Heisman Trophy in 1978.

Sims was the very first player picked in the 1980 NFL draft. The Detroit Lions chose him. After being picked for the Pro Bowl three times, his career ended early. This happened because of a serious knee injury in 1984.

Billy Sims was the last Oklahoma player chosen first in the NFL Draft for a long time. This changed when quarterback Sam Bradford was picked first in the 2010 NFL draft.

ESPN's Chris Berman gave Sims the nickname "Kung Fu Billy Sims." This happened after a game between the Lions and the Houston Oilers. In a highlight video, Sims avoided a tackle by jumping over an Oilers player. While in the air, he kicked the player in the head!

Early Life and School Days

Billy Sims was born in St. Louis, Missouri. When he was in eighth grade, he moved to Hooks, Texas. He went to live with his grandmother there.

Sims first loved baseball and was a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals. He did not show much interest in football until he moved to Texas.

At Hooks High School, he played varsity football for three years. He ran the ball 1,128 times. This set a state record at the time. He gained 7,738 yards in total. In 1973, he carried the ball 441 times, another state record then. Sims had 38 games where he rushed for 100 yards or more. This is tied for third all-time in Texas high school history.

College Football Career

Sims went to the University of Oklahoma. He played for coach Barry Switzer's Oklahoma Sooners football team from 1975 to 1979. He played only one game in his first year, 1975. Injuries kept him out for most of his second year. This allowed him to "red-shirt," meaning he could play an extra year later.

Injuries continued to bother Sims in 1977. In 1978, Sims had an amazing year. He rushed for 1,762 yards. He averaged 7.6 yards every time he carried the ball. This total led the NCAA. He also set a school record for total yards. This record stood until 2004.

After this great season, Sims won the Heisman Trophy in 1978. He was only the sixth junior player to win this award. The next year, in 1979, he was the runner-up for the Heisman. Charles White of USC won that year.

In 1979, Sims played against Nebraska. They had the best rushing defense in the country. Sims ran for 247 yards. He helped the Sooners win 17–14. He became the first running back in Big 8 Conference history to rush for 200 yards in three games in a row. He had four 200-yard games in that single season.

Sims led the Sooners to two Orange Bowl titles. In the 1978 Orange Bowl, he ran for 134 yards. He scored two touchdowns in a 31–24 win. In his last college game, he ran for 164 yards. Oklahoma beat the undefeated Florida State Seminoles 24–7. Sims finished his college career with 3,813 rushing yards. Most of these yards came in his last two seasons.

College Statistics

Here are Billy Sims' college football statistics:

• This includes bowl games.

National Football League Career

Sims (with ball) playing against the San Diego Chargers in 1981

As many expected, Billy Sims was the first player chosen in the 1980 NFL draft. He played his entire NFL career with the Detroit Lions. He was picked for the Pro Bowl in 1980, 1981, and 1982.

Sims helped lead Detroit to the playoffs in 1982 and 1983. However, they lost their first game in both playoff appearances. In a 1983 playoff game, Sims ran for 114 yards. But the Lions lost a close game to the San Francisco 49ers.

In 1983, Sims signed a secret contract with a new league, the USFL. He also signed a new contract with the Lions. This led to a court case. A judge decided that Sims had to stay with the Detroit Lions.

Sims' career ended in the middle of the 1984 season. He suffered a very bad right knee injury in a game. In that game, Sims set the Lions' all-time rushing record. He had 5,106 yards on 1,131 carries. He also caught 186 passes for 2,072 yards. He tried to heal his knee for two years. He finally retired from football in 1986.

Sims is still a very popular sports figure in Detroit. His jersey number, 20, was later worn by Barry Sanders. Now, the number 20 is officially retired by the Lions. It honors Sims, Sanders, and Lem Barney, who were all great players.

Comeback Attempt

In 1988, four years after his knee injury, Sims announced he wanted to play again. He hoped to return to the Lions for the 1989 season. This would have been Barry Sanders' first year.

Sims told a newspaper writer that he felt as fit as he did in 1983. He even offered to play for a "blank check." This meant the Lions could decide his salary after seeing how well he played. Sims hoped to meet with the team's leaders. Even though the coach showed some interest, Sims never returned to the NFL.

NFL Career Statistics

Here are Billy Sims' NFL career statistics:

Life After Football

After retiring from the NFL, Billy Sims faced challenges with his businesses. He had many different ventures, like a nightclub and a radio station.

Selling the Heisman Trophy

In 1995, Sims sold his Heisman Trophy. He sold it to a Texas businessman named Bob White. White had been like a father figure to Sims since he was young. They agreed that Sims could buy the trophy back later.

Recognition and Legacy

In 2007, a bronze statue of Billy Sims was placed on the University of Oklahoma campus. It is in Heisman Park. The statue honors his 1978 Heisman Trophy win.

Sims often leads the "Boomer Sooner!" chant at the Heisman Trophy presentation. He does this when an Oklahoma player wins the award. He has done it for Jason White, Sam Bradford, Baker Mayfield, and Kyler Murray.

In 1995, he was put into the College Football Hall of Fame. In his hometown of Hooks, Texas, there is a road named Billy Sims Road. The local library also has a collection of his photos. Sims has also started a chain of over 30 Billy Sims Barbecue restaurants.

Career Highlights

• High School (Hooks High School, 1972–74)
  • Most consecutive 100-yard games: 38 (state record)
  • Total 100-yard games: 38
  • Total points scored: 516
  • Rushing yards in a season: 3,080 (1973)
  • Career rushing yards: 7,738
• College
  • Two-time All-American (1978, 1979)
  • 1978 Heisman Trophy Winner
  • 1978 AP & UPI College Player of the Year
  • 1979 Heisman Runner-Up
  • Orange Bowl Hall of Fame Trophy
  • Big Eight Player of the Year (1978, 1979)
  • Career rushing yards: 3,813
  • Total touchdowns: 52 (50 rushing)
• NFL
  • 3-Time Pro-Bowl selection
  • 32nd – NFL All-Time Rushing Yards Per-Carry (4.515)
  • 75th – NFL All-Time Rushing Touchdowns (42)
  • 135th – NFL All-Time Rushing Yardage (5,106)
  • First player to score 3 touchdowns in his first NFL game.

See also

• List of NCAA Division I FBS running backs with at least 50 career rushing touchdowns