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
NFL 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 player. He was a running back for the Detroit Lions in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons, from 1980 to 1984.

Sims played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners. He was named an All-American twice. In 1978, he won the Heisman Trophy, a famous award for college football's best player. The Detroit Lions chose him as the very first pick in the 1980 NFL draft.

Billy Sims was chosen for the Pro Bowl three times. Sadly, his football career ended early in 1984 because of a serious knee injury. He was the last Oklahoma player picked first in the NFL draft until Sam Bradford in 2010.

Billy Sims was sometimes called "Kung Fu Billy Sims" by sports announcer Chris Berman. This nickname came after a play where Sims jumped over a player instead of being tackled.

Early Life and High School Football

Billy Sims was born in St. Louis, Missouri. When he was in eighth grade, he moved to Hooks, Texas, to live with his grandmother. At first, Billy liked baseball and was a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals. He didn't show much interest in football until he moved to Texas.

In high school, Billy played varsity football for three years at Hooks High School. He ran for 7,738 yards, which was a state record at the time. He also had 38 games where he rushed for 100 yards or more. This is one of the best records in Texas high school football history.

College Football Career

Billy Sims went to the University of Oklahoma. He played for the Oklahoma Sooners football team from 1975 to 1979 under coach Barry Switzer. In his first year (1975), he played only one game. Injuries kept him out for much of his second year, so he was able to "red-shirt." This meant he could play an extra year later.

Even with injuries, Billy had an amazing year in 1978. He rushed for 1,762 yards, averaging 7.6 yards per carry. This was the most rushing yards in the NCAA that year. He also set a school record for total yards, which stood until 2004. Because of his great performance, Billy won the Heisman Trophy in 1978. He was only the sixth junior to win this award. In 1979, he was the runner-up for the Heisman.

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

Billy led the Sooners to win two Orange Bowl titles. In the 1978 Orange Bowl, he rushed for 134 yards and scored two touchdowns. In his last college game, he ran for 164 yards as Oklahoma beat undefeated Florida State. Billy finished his college career with 3,813 rushing yards. Most of these yards came in his last two seasons.

College Statistics

* Includes bowl games.

NFL Career with the Detroit Lions

Sims (with ball) 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 professional career with the Detroit Lions. He was selected for the Pro Bowl in 1980, 1981, and 1982.

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

Billy Sims' career ended in the middle of the 1984 season. He suffered a very serious right knee injury during a game against the Minnesota Vikings on October 21. In that game, Sims set a new record for the Lions' all-time rushing yards, with 5,106 yards. This record is now held by Barry Sanders. Sims also caught 186 passes for 2,072 yards. He tried to recover from his injury for two years but officially retired in 1986.

Billy 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 retired by the Lions. It honors three great players who wore it, including Billy Sims and Lem Barney.

Attempted Comeback

In 1988, four years after his knee injury, Sims announced he wanted to try and play for the Lions again for the 1989 season. This was the same year Barry Sanders joined the team. Sims told a newspaper that he felt as fit as he was in 1983. He even offered to play for a "blank check," meaning the Lions could decide his salary after seeing how he played. Despite some interest from the coach, Sims never returned to the NFL.

NFL Career Statistics

Life After the NFL

After retiring from the Detroit Lions, Billy Sims faced some financial challenges. He had earned a lot of money during his playing career and received an insurance payment. However, he lost his wealth through several business ventures that did not succeed. These businesses included a nightclub, a radio station, and other companies.

Selling the Heisman Trophy

In 1995, Billy Sims sold his Heisman Trophy to a Texas businessman named Bob White. White had been like a father figure to Sims since he was young. They had an agreement that Sims could buy the trophy back later by paying the original price plus interest.

Recognition and Legacy

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

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

In 1995, Billy Sims was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. In his hometown of Hooks, Texas, there is a road named Billy Sims Road in his honor. The local library also has a collection of his photos. Today, Billy Sims is involved with over 30 Billy Sims Barbecue restaurants.

Career Highlights

• High School (Hooks High School, 1972–74)
  • 38 consecutive games with 100+ rushing yards (state record)
  • 7,738 total rushing yards
• College
  • Two-time All-American (1978, 1979)
  • 1978 Heisman Trophy Winner
  • 1978 UPI College Player of the Year
  • Big Eight Player of the Year (1978, 1979)
  • 3,813 career rushing yards
  • 50 career rushing touchdowns
• NFL
  • 3-Time Pro-Bowl selection
  • First player to score 3 touchdowns in his first NFL game