5 facts about Barry Sanders

Introduction

[{"selector":"#anim-83a3e980-1fc5-4415-bc29-4f9da5141d5d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-30ad7998-05f7-4a58-94b3-a36b188b399b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-105.36193%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cf5eb608-5b67-4551-b4fa-97646a90408d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-feafc2ed-0089-4288-83e5-5cf096a34347","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-105.36193%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Sanders, considered the greatest RB by many fans, seamlessly went from college to the NFL. With the Lions, he rushed for 15,269 yards & 99 TDs in 10 seasons before an unexpected retirement in '99.

All-time great season

[{"selector":"#anim-76a02ebf-2468-4ecc-85b7-3907fba7cb80","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a7625308-a91c-4b75-a9fc-9912db1cc3bc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-105.36193%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aab7262c-e469-48e8-92d2-13295790af66","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0f168223-a5a6-4c43-a906-559643ae4de3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-105.36193%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] In the 1997 season, Sanders shared the MVP award with Favre. After a modest start, he spectacularly ran for 2,000 yards in the last 14 games, surpassing 100 yards in each, guiding the Lions to the playoffs.

Record-setter

[{"selector":"#anim-3e0e1cc0-d596-4e9e-9170-5f2a368a8dd7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-871f341a-d515-4298-afc0-3abfa5fdbc07","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-105.09383%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3d911bb4-e18f-49ad-b292-b90c1ef79275","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-63219bab-b945-463e-810c-eebf36f04bdd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-105.36193%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Sanders is the first player in league history to rush for over 1,000 yards in his first 10 seasons. Martin is the only other player to achieve 10 straight 1,000-yard seasons to start his career.

Rare air

[{"selector":"#anim-19777114-c1e5-4c51-bca8-b89f9fd60d87","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-13259906-c329-4ac5-9dba-be3a20983bd6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-105.36193%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-470b4220-fdca-473f-a0ed-376c798271eb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9f4d05f7-2402-45b7-9b87-91b04611e023","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-105.36193%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] In the 1990s, only Sanders, Smith, Davis, and James won rushing titles, all now HOF members. Sanders broke Smith's hold on the rushing title in 1994, running for a career-best 1,883 yards.

Signature playoff moment

[{"selector":"#anim-a53f846b-4451-4106-ab6f-70288c312045","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-81a1c77b-b0a4-419e-a3a5-6fa36ef1c763","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-105.36193%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2e7c649a-f8b3-4829-a3c9-14a63a8c8c9c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fd07cc74-23c6-4d23-ba62-84ec638fbabd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-105.36193%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Sanders left his mark in Lions' playoff history with a game-changing 47-yard TD run in the 1991 NFC wild card game, helping secure a dominant 38-6 victory over the Cowboys.

Hall of Fame history

[{"selector":"#anim-547983ae-35c3-4511-9d80-e561a38a165e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b97abb9b-37bc-4a63-9848-0d0a041b14e3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-105.36193%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-08d6d4eb-4026-41cd-a866-ff1269a26afe","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8f7d0360-b3b2-431d-956f-d81f36775021","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-105.36193%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] As a first-ballot HOFer, Sanders was enshrined at the age of 36, becoming the second-youngest inductee after Sayers. Sayers, in 1977, entered the Canton, Ohio, Hall of Fame at 34 years old.