Barry Sanders is widely considered as one of the greatest NFL running backs of all time and hold many records still today for his position. The NFL confirmed his elite status by inducting Sanders into the NFL Hall of Fame on August 8, 2004.
Barry won the Heisman Trophy while playing football for Oklahoma State University in 1988. The Detroit Lions selected Barry with the third overall draft pick in the 1989 NFL draft. Sanders played 10 All Pro seasons in the NFL, all for the Lions, averaging over 1,500 rushing yards per season. Sanders won the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award in 1997, rushing for 2,053 yards and 11 touchdowns that year. Sanders left the game just 1,457 yards short of being first place on the list for the NFL all-time rushing record at that time.
Today, Barry’s time is focused on his family, community and charitable projects, and being a top ambassador for the NFL and its partners. In 2013, Barry was featured on the cover of EA Sports Madden 25 anniversary edition, in 2 Pepsi TV ads, and in 2 Nissan TV ads – which demonstrates his continued status as a timeless icon in professional sports.