Sammy Winder facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Sammy Winder

Winder with the Denver Broncos in 1984
No. 23
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1959-07-15) July 15, 1959 (age 65) Madison, Mississippi, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:	203 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High school:	Madison-Ridgeland (Madison, Mississippi)
College:	Southern Miss
NFL Draft:	1982 / Round: 5 / Pick: 131
Career history
Denver Broncos (1982–1990)
Career highlights and awards
2× Pro Bowl (1984, 1986)
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 5,427 Rushing average: 3.6 Rushing touchdowns: 39
Player stats at PFR

Sammy Winder (born July 15, 1959) is a former American football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). Sammy played his entire career with the Denver Broncos from 1982 to 1990.

Sammy grew up in Madison, Mississippi, where his father was a farmer. He played high school football at Madison-Ridgeland High School. Later, he played college football at The University of Southern Mississippi.

Sammy's College Football Journey

Sammy Winder played for Southern Mississippi from 1978 to 1981. He ran for a total of 3,114 yards during his college career. He also scored 39 touchdowns, which were both school records at the time. Sammy also caught 11 passes for 70 yards.

In his third year, he ran for 996 yards. He also scored 20 touchdowns, which was the most in the country that year. As a senior, he had his best year, rushing for 1,029 yards and 12 more touchdowns.

Some of Sammy's teammates at Southern Mississippi also became NFL players. These included Reggie Collier and Louis Lipps. In his last two college seasons, his team won 9 games each year. They also played in two bowl games, winning one and losing one.

Sammy's Professional NFL Career

Sammy Winder was a very important player for the Denver Broncos. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl two times, in 1984 and 1986. The Pro Bowl is a special game for the best players in the NFL.

Sammy helped the Broncos reach the Super Bowl three times in the 1980s. However, they lost to the New York Giants, Washington Redskins, and San Francisco 49ers.

Over his 9 seasons, Sammy ran for 5,427 yards. He also scored 39 rushing touchdowns. He caught 197 passes for 1,302 yards and 9 receiving touchdowns. Sammy was known for his special touchdown celebration. He called it the 'Mississippi Mud Walk'.

Towards the end of his career, in his last two seasons, another player named Bobby Humphrey became the main running back. Bobby was drafted by the Broncos in 1989.

Life After Football

After his NFL career, Sammy Winder started his own business. He works in the construction industry. His company is called Winder Construction. He actually started this company in 1987, while he was still playing for the Denver Broncos.

See also

• List of NCAA major college football yearly scoring leaders