Walter Payton, Jim Brown, and Earl Campbell are the athletes many fans view as the toughest runnng backs in professional football history. But one person who is sometimes overlooked is Barry Sanders.
Although he was not the biggest, standing at only 5’8”, Sanders struck fear in defenses. He had supreme speed, a burst when he found an opening, and could shake defenders out of their shoes.
Sanders was the face of the Detroit Lions during his playing days from 1989 to 1998. Everyone always tuned in to see what Sanders would do. And he did not disappoint.
As the offense for the Lions, Sanders totaled more than 1,000 yards rushing every
year he played in the NFL, even having one 2,000-yard season and three seasons of
more than 1,500 yards. Because of his insane seasons running the football, he climbed up
the all-time rushing yards chart quickly. And on Nov. 27, 1997, Sanders claimed the number
two spot on the NFL all-time rushing list after a 167-yard, two-touchdown performance
in a 55-20 win over the Chicago Bears.
