A Football Life Barry Sanders

On July 27, 1999, Barry Sanders ended his 10-year NFL career by sending a fax to the Wichita Eagle newspaper. This is the first time he publicly read these words shortly after the end of last season. I felt like he probably wouldn't come back. I also felt like I should take as much time as possible and make sure my feelings came back with conviction today I am officially declaring my departure from the NFL it was a wonderful experience playing in the NFL and I have no regrets I am leaving on good terms with everyone in the organization the reason The reason I retire is simple: my desire to get out of the game is greater than my desire to stay in it.

I have searched my heart from beginning to end and I feel comfortable with this decision today it is the best if one believes it. I could be the best quarterback, produce the last in Eureka surveillance, that's the only thing Ronnie is convinced is a team game, no one can tell you that I live, breathe and bleed in Detroit, my father's, but He's been a season ticket holder since he was a kid and, you know, it's tough. Those games for so many years it was brutal to be an Alliance fan, but I will say this, that very Sanders, I mean, I was the one that made people come.

For many years, there are

football

fans who never got to see Barry Sanders. You know, you play live

football

and there's no way to explain it. You can see the highlights and stuff, but still be there where you have the perspective of the whole field and you know how to see the plays developing and see the way that guy. he just cuts and shoots people who are crazy. You can't ask a person in Detroit who your favorite running back is, Barry, because that would say you know there were only a few and you can remember one.

This guy did something special. You know it every Sunday look. When I look at players like Jim Brown at one time, he was one of the biggest guys on the field, I think he would be different today. Sanders is a guy that no matter the year, you could say 1920 and you could say 2012. He will still be the best running back in the NFL at any given time. There was one person in Sanders'

life

who didn't think he was the greatest running back of all time. First I want to say hello to the best runner to ever experience the number.

A runner we have experienced is not with us today. I think he's with his family in Los Angeles. Jim Brown, so I want to say hello, am I worth having a 30 second speech? I'm waking up fast and now I want to introduce you to the third greatest running back who ever lived, Barry Sanders. I'm not your friend, I'm your father, it's a statement William Sanders repeatedly told his children that he was a hard-working man who publicly could be Barry Sanders' biggest critic and privately his biggest supporter as he was growing up and trying to understand, you know. , why it is as hard as it is, why it is so hard for us, there is no doubt that it is his motivation.

I understand, you know, love

life

for the Sanders family was in Wichita, Kansas, in a small house that Barry shared with his 10 brothers and sisters. I never felt like it was that tight, you know? or he was in my room outside playing, certainly he was a big football fan, passionate about football and a lot of my love for the game definitely comes from him. They got some linebackers, they probably outplayed me. Levon Kirkland of Pittsburgh always around 265. couldn't run me Willie expressed his opinion and you just learned to take it, of course, I got to know the lady.

Sanders Shirley and what a sweet lady there. I found out that where Barry got his background from was Shirley Sanders at Wichita North High. Varsity coach Bob Shepler thought Barry wasn't strong enough to play running back, so he played Barry at cornerback. I'm not. I'm not talking about Coach C at North High, but he didn't leave, he didn't throw it well, he didn't think there would be a great running back, he wouldn't play the bear to answer him and he would just lose. If he would be like, you know God, you know these crazy coaches you should be, you need to run back, you know they have, they have these, you know, kids that can disappear from sight in a day and you know he was going crazy. with me. and I was, you know, it's what I did and what I remember most about that year is that I was really worried, not about where, you know, that I was a little bit out of position, something like that, I was just worried that I had done it.

I didn't receive any letter to go to university. I was thinking, man, this is my third year and I haven't seen it. I haven't received anything from anyone. Do you know what I'm going to do at the beginning of summer to start my senior year? I know I'm going, my dad was explaining to him that I really need to focus on figuring it out this summer and getting ready to try to get a scholarship and he just looked at me like he always had. nonsense and said well hey son you're working, you're working with me this summer, at that point it was understood that you know when he needed me to work, that's what I did knowing that you know, pay, the pay wasn't that cool, but at the same time It was ultimately worth it as he entered his senior year.

Barry got a new coach and a new position. Sanders averaged over 10 yards rushing during the season. He had heard a comment from previous coaches that yes, he just wouldn't do it. I didn't stay there, that didn't bother me and his running style was fine with me because he guesses no one could tackle him. You know he was always at the game on Friday night. You know I was that kid who was always here with my dad. and now after so many things that happened I'm the starting running back at North High School and not only that, but I'm having a career year as a running back, I can't even explain it to you and for me just being on the field. playing the game that was where I was at home, that's, you know, really all I wanted to do the last game of the season we were winning and we were against Wichita East and we knew we were going to make the playoffs, it was me and another child.

That year when he was practically fighting for the Russian city title, he left the field and I called him and asked him. I told him, Barry, I can keep you and you can put up some yards, we can try to get that title. or I can put two little kids on what you want to do, Coach said, look, little kids play, there wasn't a second of hesitation on that young man's part, he let two little kids play at that moment because of all the great things that had happened. For me it just wasn't that important to start a football life.

I remember exactly what he said. You know I was an Oklahoma fan long before you were born and I hope you have a good game. But you know that's my team only for a few months. After worrying that he would never receive a recruiting letter, Barry Sanders had two offers, one was from Tulsa and the other was from Oklahoma State, which already had an all-American running back in its second year, Thurman Thomas, William Sanders wanted him his son would go to Tulsa and play right away. I love the fact that Herman was there, you know, I thought it was cool that there was a guy who had all that success and now I get to go to school with him and you know me, so my mind was in a totally different place, Barry He chose Oklahoma State against his father's wishes, that's one of the hardest days of my life at the time, but he wasn't excited about me going to Oklahoma State the morning Oklahoma State came to see me.

The coach came home before school. He walks to the front door, the coach tried to shake his hand, he didn't, he didn't want to shake his hand, he leaves the house and says, I think he's making a mistake and he's leaving and I was very hurt and confused, but but I knew that for me that was the right thing to do and I was praying that for the first time in my life I would know when I was going against his wishes or whatever, but you know it was a very difficult day. For me, William was also a big fan of the University of Oklahoma, a conference rival to Oklahoma State.

My dad took the position that hey, look, you know I was an Oklahoma fan long before you were born. I will always be long before you. I left Oklahoma State, that's my team in its first two seasons at Oklahoma State. Barry was not a starter, but he excelled on special teams in 1987; he led the NCAA in kick return average. It was my senior year, we were playing, getting ready to play the University of Oklahoma embarrasses Whistle, who is the head coach at the university? Oklahoma says whatever you do, don't hurt Thurmond tonight, okay, and everyone looked at me like I was crazy.

I said you don't want to play against this freshman Mac they called Barry Sanders. I never heard a very Saint Lizzie, we had it bad enough with Thurman, but you will never touch this kid. He was tremendously flattering because you know there's no guy my dad held in higher esteem than Barry Switzer. I didn't think that I. He was the guy you knew to start with at that time. Thurman had had a great career. He wasn't on track to be a pro. He knew that when he left he would have a chance tomorrow night at Oklahoma State. 1988 football season begins the big question in Stillwater and kicking wizard Barry Sanders replaced American Thurman Thomas in the backfield forty years another didn't take long as we jumped on the bandwagon very quickly Sanders had possibly the best college season ever established by setting 34 records, he rushed for 2,628 yards and scored 39 touchdowns in 11 games.

I would call. He had the number two to fill the field position. He televised a lot of the games back then, so he called and reaped. They managed there. 300 yards for touchdown I'm the kid who remembers all the great college running backs I studied as a kid, so for me to find myself in that position was unreal, there were journalists waiting for him on the practice field and there were people who wanted to represent him as a professional. He felt very uncomfortable with this. He wanted to go play soccer. He really enjoyed college life and simply wasn't prepared for this kind of intrusion.

I think people take this game too seriously, you know? and the hype and everything is just that they make you look different from everyone else and that's the main thing. Sanders was a Heisman candidate, but his team was scheduled to play in Tokyo on the day of the announcement live via satellite. Sanders saw At the ceremony, the 1988 Heisman Award winner is Barry Sanders. He felt that he was not worthy, but he had to accept it. He won and he knew that winning would bring more attention, more media scrutiny, more media and that's not what he wanted I don't, Barry Barry doesn't want it if he wants it, he wants this for his father because you know how I feel about him and my friends in Wichita.

Barry's Heisman Trophy still sits behind William and Shirley's house. his father's souvenir Oklahoma helmet. The next game is so different, life is so different and sometimes you know if you're not careful you can get lost and all the other things that happen, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you right now. When the best running backs in the United States of America and our number one pick, Barry Sanders, it's really good to be here in Detroit. I feel it is a privilege to be one of the players who will help restore the roar and launch of the dawn. on the left side the Lions needed a franchise player, they needed a brand and Barry had that flash, he had that ability to light up a buried 45 spot, we had a chance to get to the class because we added Barry Sanders, the absolute x-factor of any football team that can take you from the depths of despair to the heights of joy in one carry 219 yards on 22 carries four touchdowns for Barry Sanders called me twice early in his career once called me who had been a coach I had a good game Sam ran for 224 yards shortly after I got another call and I, Russ, I wasn't sure what he was talking about, but he did say to have the coach pray for me and I and I knew that the media and all that attention was on him.

Barry Sanders, congratulations, you picked a great time to have one of your best games of the year on national television on Thanksgiving Day. Thank you so much. I'd like to thank God and say hello to my family in Wichita, Kansas, okay, Barry. Thank you very much, Giving Day continues on NBC. One of the things I realized in my early years is that the game is very different, life is very different and sometimes if you're not careful you can get lost and everything else. things that were happening Barry Sanders' new status as an NFL star conflicted with his small town persona that was Barry, he wasn't the one who threw that in, okay here are all the cameras and all that stuff goes there because you're going to be more visible and more seen, I would avoid that a little bit more with Barry, I kind of wanted it to happen naturally, I wanted to get to know the kids in the neighborhood, you want to get to know the people in this community, that's something if you know something. about his character now the humility that he has you know you don't do things to try to be recognized for doing something great you do it because you really enjoy it and you love it and you like it but it's not like that I have to give it so much importance, well I think his job spoke for himself.

All game for Mary after making a runUnbelievable, scoring an 80-yard touchdown, you make eight people miss on one play. Do you really need to finish? ball every time Barry scored he always knew where the referee was, what a great change of pace to see one of the best players in the game going to the end zone act like you've been there before, that's part of the job, this is what what I do. thank you very much come back and humbly run to the side Berry is not a rah-rah type of guy he is not a goddess out there he is not a guy who is going to talk a lot unlike me some saw Emmitt Smith as Sanders maybe in 1991 the two are They faced each other in the NFC divisional playoff.

The thing about me playing against Amon, he had certainly made a name for himself by that time and I certainly wanted to do my best. Six Sanders has eight yards, what do you have to do? I want Barry Sanders in the game or they'll give you a pass. Well, we'd like to bury the game at any time, so, little Locker, at halftime, I said Barry, do you feel bad that you're not touching the ball here? he goes to the coach, we get into the game, no, in front of Sanders, I was like telling myself, it's not enough, it doesn't matter what you do, you never know, it could be calm right now, then a storm in the next five minutes, not in a way to bury. outside right call, looks wrinkled, power was stuck, stopped for a second then went back to your left.

Tony can see it's like he ran to play and Tony was standing there trying to look which left, which direction he went, which direction. There you have it, he's behind this. I was sitting like Saturn. He made them look like fools. I'll tell you what, every time we talk about it, we say that's the biggest pit. That's the touchdown that sealed Detroit's first postseason win since 1957. It was the first and last playoff win of Barry Sanders' career, you know, we talked about how much I loved the game as a kid, just the time that I spent fantasizing about football and simply dreaming about things I wanted to do on the field at certain times.

I almost felt like I could do anything with the ball table so well to read, you know the body language of the defender, you know and you're almost in the broadcast, you know, you're almost in the broadcast and like me, When I became a running back, There's a certain familiarity to it and those are the crazy things I would think and dream about after their win over the Cowboys in the 1991 playoffs. Barry Sanders and the Lions were on the verge of Detroit's first win. Every Super Bowl appearance you thought it was going to be better, it was really disappointing, you thought they were going to come out and really play.

The Redskins actually swooped in and ran away, and just handed it to us, there's such a finality to those The playoff games, while much more special than the regular season games, you heard a lot more about them. I'm very disappointed in Barry Sanders, what everyone was talking about, that's his lowest level in Washington in 1995. Sanders and the Lions suffered their fourth consecutive playoff loss after a 5th and 11 the following season, the front office found itself forced to act. If you haven't made it to a Super Bowl, there is a feeling of emptiness inside and I can tell you right now that that will be the direction and goal of our football program here with the Detroit Lions I played for Coach Ross at the University of Maryland for three years.

I knew that everything we did was going to be successful under his leadership and you know there was a little bit of frustration from some people, why are we putting a fullback in the backfield putting more people in the box when we have the explosive running back what are they? the basic problems with the system, the bad, that's a random ad. I think his father had some differences with me mainly between the backfield and the back two, very good spaces to run and he cannot, he cannot, he cannot have a space to not dominate the client, the defense is prepared to achieve it, you have to use wide receivers, pepper four wide receivers to spread out. the defense at the beginning of the '97 season was frustrating, it was difficult for us after two games, Barry had a total of 53 yards.

I remember after the first two weeks of that season I just said, you know what's going on here, we got off to a slow start and we weren't using him enough. I mean, there's no doubt we needed to use it more. The Lions knew he was their man and gave him the opportunity to do his thing in space, which is a smart thing. and that's why 2,000 yards was a possibility. Berry had a streak of 14 consecutive games with more than 100 yards. The dog sees the best in the business. He can say I saw the best running back in football.

I'm pretty confident at the beginning of the season. no one imagined I know that would be the really hard year to get 2003 hurts I came close a few years before when it was only 100 yards away I wanted it but I realized it's the real moment Sanders came in the final game of the regular season I needed 131 yards to reach the milestone at halftime was 111 yards away I always had my mom's patience and always felt like you know the next one could be the one that 53-yard run secured Detroit a playoff spot like Sanders He became the third runner to break the two thousand yard barrier.

Congratulations to you Barry, it didn't seem like after the first three quarters you had a chance to develop 2000 pumpkins, but to Barry's father Williams, but he just needed to. focusing on the historic achievement did nothing to change his son's status, most people don't criticize, there is no criticism, so there will be support and I was with you a lot, you know, he had that thing about who is the best driver. Jim Brown was his son, sadness, what does that mean? mean to you from your son Jaakko, believe me, I don't feel good smelling good for the city of Detroit because I didn't go another day, they are going to another playoff game, will he really praise his son that much?

I was happy but I want to. to pray that he lets everyone else talk about the alcohol coming up. The feeling I had during all of this was that he was coming back, but that didn't happen in downtown Detroit. They had a big mural of it on one of the buildings and it simply meant "your." you know how big she was in this city, you played this game to win Super Bowls and when she tried the playoffs and you feel like the organization is not moving in that direction and you are the one and you are risking your neck.

Body your mind and you feel like they're not putting in the same kind of effort and you lose it, it's not fun and once you start detecting a guy's love for the game you lost it, there were probably some players and I thought it was a big mistake to get rid of at that time, while playing with definitely something that hurt those personnel decisions that were made as an organizational decision of the group. They were difficult. I understand that Barry might be frustrated. I was frustrated a year after eclipsing 2,000 yards. Mark Barry Sanders entered Week 17 knowing it could be the last game of his career for years to come.

It looks like we'll probably be rebuilding and we've gotten rid of seeing really good players. I felt it was time to make a change. I knew going into the game today was that, so I remember after the game, you just know, I didn't really say what was going on, you know, I was glad to get out of there, the feeling I had throughout was that he was coming back, but that didn't happen, you know, I struggled with it, my stroke was all offseason and I really waited until the last minute and he called me and said, I'm thinking about finally doing it. was going to retire, issued the statement that was published through the Wichita Eagle newspaper, he practically called the Lions the day before training camp and let them know and then, for the next two weeks, he went to play, Winston He went to London and was a bit ironic with Barry Sanders' father. thinks Jim Brown is the greatest running back of all time 34 years ago Brown suddenly retired at the prime of his career.

The same goes for Barry Sanders, the only man to gain 1,000 yards for 10 consecutive seasons will retire on Wednesday not with the press conference but with the statement and Barry will not be available for comment sometimes when people retire, it's almost an opportunity for his close-up and Barry wanted to get off the stage and went to London Sanders less than 1,500 yards away from breaking Peyton's career record. so, barring injury, this was really just a matter of time before the record was set for Barry when he left town, there was speculation as to why he retired. The rumors never came from Barry.

People said well, I need to want to break, you know, Walter Payton's record. I don't. I don't know if that's true or not, I understood very well who Walter Payton was, what he had accomplished, not only Walter Payton but all the guys who did it, they tried to do a lot to know that the record to me was not important enough to to I forced myself to stay and try to get the puck. I heard that Miami had basically come to a deal where it was going to be almost like a love in Herschel Walker. Kind of deal they wanted it.

Barry the Lions told him "or you." he's going to play for us but he's not going to play for anyone, no, no, I mean he didn't hate the Lions um and he wasn't trying to go anywhere else, a lot of conspiracy theories and I think people Sometimes we I really like conspiracy theories, but in this case I don't think there are any, you know, if things had been different with the team, I don't know if I would have made the same decision if we had won from a Super Bowl victory or from a deep playoff run I don't know, I just felt like I had run out of steam in that toothy year.

I just felt like that was my moment, that was it. I've had enough. I played the game long enough in that that that real momentum. and the determination and enjoyment of the game had left a lot of people angry with Barry why I never understood that we are talking about Barry and his reputation if he is ruined forever in this town. I have an email, right? It says here that until yesterday Oh Jay was my least favorite NFL running back, but he only stabbed two people in the back. He would have preferred if he had been sincere from the beginning and he cannot maintain her respect and his dignity.

There were guys that were definitely upset that he was gone and there were some guys that felt like he left the team hanging. I would like to say that he does not hurt and does not bother us, but how can you ignore? You know Barry is gone and you want to have high hopes. and you say you'd like to achieve greatness but there's a big hole missing he's not just any running back it's great for him to give him 10 glorious years the years he gave to that game you know me I mean how can you be mad at the person for stepping away as players and media and people when it was the right time for him to do so is Barry Barry doesn't want a big retirement party he doesn't want to be on ESPN and ABC and all of that I've answered I have a lot of questions about my retirement, but as someone who was a football fan, I'm pretty sure I would have been disappointed as a fan if Tony Dorsett had retired in his prime.

You know, you might shed some tears. Barry Sanders in second place. spot on the NFL's all-time running back list with no barrier now was never really one of those things I'm better than you you better than me and I'm better than you running more nah no no no no no no we weren't friends Lo I saw it, I saw it and I broke the record. I wasn't really surprised that he got it. There is no doubt in any of our minds that Berry would have been the all-time leading rusher if you look at when Emmitt Smith finished.

Getting that honor, a lot of people look at it and say, look, well, there's kind of an asterisk next to it. You got it because Berry didn't want to play anymore, otherwise Berry would be the guy who would have that crown if Berry had played 15 years that could have been. 25,000 yards and on it and I always said yeah, I'm glad he retired, we wouldn't even be talking about him, eMeter would be a close second, there's no way the records could have been that far away, we knew it, I think Emmitt knows it , that's why. They still have these debates in bars, it's not enough, no matter what you do, you never know and no matter what you do, people are going to talk, no matter if it's positive or negative.

The end result is what I have done, what I have done and there is nothing we can do to go back and change. I'm 43 years old. I'm not trying to put the uniform back on and neither is Barry Sanders, so all the thinking and all that kind of stuff is over, let it go. I'm in a special class in that category that has played this game and knowing what I know and seeing what I've seen for me is very satisfying and satisfying enough to be satisfied with where I sit wherever the story wants to put me and I'm not going to discuss with them after 10 years of professional football.

Barry Sanders got more praise from his father for walking away from the game than he ever got for running with the football god. I'm very proud because it takes guts. I did what he did last night today because not all the boys would have done it.made. The average football player would have been trying to set records and trying to hold on until the end and walked with his career and they really take Goods coming years later. Sanders' iconic image was erased time heals all wounds disappointment his retirement has gone too quickly and now he is one of our greats today I officially declared my departure from the NFL the reason I am retiring is simple my desire to get out of the game is greater than my desire to stay in it, I have searched my heart from beginning to end and I am comfortable with this decision.

Barry Sanders when he says no. I just finished and I knew it. I believed him completely and completely and Barry Savior made the home of him and I believe. that's what brought all the fans back and when Barry goes out on that field when they do alumni day guess the most important year today Detroit celebrates once again its adopted son the humble young man from Wichita one of eleven children now has four children of his own He has done a good job of combining his parents and the way he raises his children. Many of us didn't have our father in a house, Mr.

Sanders was in the house and that was a big deal and he stayed there and worked hard and was a dutiful father and if Barry was at a game or whatever, he was there and I see that in BarryFrom the stands, Barry Sanders has watched his oldest son follow a familiar path with a familiar name as a high school running back. Barry James Sanders became a top college prospect. You know, I'm just a proud dad. He has done a great job and, like his father. Barry did it once BJ Sanders was forced to abandon his football future with family in mind.

Oh, here, standing with Barry Sanders as he prepares to make this big decision. Alabama Stanford, of course, Oklahoma State, where your dad was a star, and then Florida State, then Barry Sanders. Where should you play college football? He does not care. You know where I went. I mean, he knew he would make the right decision. We've always had a strong relationship and I think just relationships, I mean, that's it. You can ask a parent who knows you just a relationship where you can, you know, talk to him and you know, ask him questions and you know he, he just tells you stories and you know, you know, learn from, you know what he has to tell you.

I told BJ this before. I don't know if he'll be the type of player that I was because I don't think you have the type of father that I had. You know I will do the best. I can as a father, but I am NOT the man my father was and I remember my father telling this story. I guess he was supposed to return putts and I guess he was in high school and he didn't like to return putts. I guess he would leave it. he bounces in front of him or you know he wouldn't catch them, you know, out of the air after the game on the way home, my dad asked me why didn't you kiss the punts and I was like, well, dad, I, that's how it was. a close game and I didn't want to rub and drop the punt and it made us move the game.

My grandfather's Sanders, I guess I told him: you know you can't play this game with fear of failure, you just have to quit. The chips fall where they may and especially in the game of soccer you are going to make some mistakes, you know that many times. I lost yards on a run, but it wasn't for lack of trying and I can give credit to William Sanders for that great lesson that allowed me to be a great player in being here today what he said about Jim Brown I was never offended my dad was always the biggest support I don't think I would be here without him he I always hear people say that their son is the best, you know, and he didn't want to, he didn't ever want to do that, just because I think he felt like he knew how much he loved him and he knew What I really thought about his talent and ability, you know, a lot of people think that he likes the problem more, they like the song more, but she was very proud of her son, Mr.

Sanders, he wasn't the hug and I love you dad, but I think he buried Felton and in the instruction that he gave to Barry and the teaching that he gave to Barry, I think the older Barry gets, the more he realizes how much his father loved him. As a father who is very proud of his son, what do you wish for him? Robert saw my children, now we are going to get married, two or three children. I think a man needs to have two children to behold, that's the important thing. I thought that process was important to me.

Yes, I am trying to be the best father I can be. He wants all of his children to raise his grandchildren. You know, the best way they can, so he would be. proud