theGREATEST RUNNING BACK of ALL-TIMES: Barry Sanders

theGREATEST RUNNING BACK of ALL-TIMES: Barry Sanders

Sanders wasn't highly recruited from out of high school due to his slight stature. At only 5'7", most colleges didn't believe he could stand up to the physical beating and brutal pounding that running backs take.

Sanders burst on to the scene at Oklahoma State as a junior after backing up Thurman Thomas, a fellow NFL Hall of Fame inductee.

Sanders rushed for 2,628 yards & 37 touchdowns in 1988 — One of the Greatest Seasons in College Football History, as he won the 1988 Heisman Trophy.

Barry Sanders is arguably the Greatest Running Back in NFL History!

Sanders then took his show to the NFL in 1989.

Sanders' NFL career was legendary — rushing for 15,269 career yards & scoring 99 rushing touchdowns and catching 352 passes for 2,921 career yards & 10 receiving touchdowns.

Sanders averaged over 1,500 rushing yards per season.

2,053 rushing yards by Barry Sanders in 1999

Sanders then shocked & stunned the NFL world when he abruptly retired in 1999 — quitting pro football while still in the prime of his career.

Sanders retirement was made public by faxing a letter to the Wichita Eagle, his hometown newspaper in July 1999.

Sanders left the game just 1,457 yards short of Walter Payton's 16,726 yards — NFL's "all-time" rushing record at that time.

Barry Sanders carried-off-the-field after surpassing 2,000 yards in a single season

Sanders would have crushed Payton's record if Barry decided to prolong his career before ending-it-abruptly in '99. 

Sanders is widely-considered the Greatest Running Back of All-Times!