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 66) 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 on July 15, 1959, is a former American professional football player. He was a talented running back in the National Football League (NFL). Sammy played his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos team. He was with them 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.

College Football Career

Sammy Winder played college football for Southern Mississippi from 1978 to 1981. He was an amazing player, running for 3,114 yards. He also scored 39 touchdowns, which were both school records at the time.

Junior and Senior Seasons

In his junior year, Sammy ran for 996 yards. He led the nation with 20 touchdowns that season. As a senior, he had his best year, rushing for 1,029 yards. He added 12 more touchdowns to his record.

Team Success

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

Professional Football Career

Sammy Winder was a very important player for the Denver Broncos. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl twice, in 1984 and 1986. The Pro Bowl is a special game where the best players from the NFL play against each other.

Super Bowl Appearances

Sammy was a key reason the Broncos made it to three Super Bowls in the 1980s. The Super Bowl is the championship game of the NFL. Unfortunately, the Broncos lost all three of those Super Bowls. They lost to the New York Giants, the Washington Redskins, and the San Francisco 49ers.

Career Highlights

During his 9 seasons with the Broncos, Sammy Winder ran for 5,427 yards. He also scored 39 rushing touchdowns. Besides running, he was good at catching the ball too. He caught 197 passes for 1,302 yards and 9 touchdowns. Sammy was known for a special touchdown celebration. He called it the 'Mississippi Mud Walk'. In his last two seasons, another player named Bobby Humphrey became the main running back.

After His NFL Career

After his football career ended, Sammy Winder started a new path. He went into the construction business. He owns and runs his own company called Winder Construction. He actually started this company while he was still playing for the Denver Broncos in 1987.

See also

• List of NCAA major college football yearly scoring leaders