33 Quotes by Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders is a former American football player who is widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs in the history of the sport. Born in 1968, Sanders played his entire professional career with the Detroit Lions in the National Football League (NFL). Known for his agility, speed, and elusive running style, Sanders dazzled fans and opponents alike with his incredible moves and ability to evade tackles. He achieved numerous accolades throughout his career, including being named the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1997.
Sanders's exceptional skill set allowed him to consistently lead the league in rushing yards and touchdowns, earning him a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His electrifying playing style and remarkable career statistics have solidified his status as a legendary figure in the world of football. Despite retiring prematurely at the height of his career, Sanders's impact on the game is still felt today, and he continues to be revered as one of the greatest running backs in NFL history.
Barry Sanders Quotes
The reason of football is not to be the best but to be the best team
Happiness does not come from football awards. It's terrible to correlate happiness with football. Happiness comes from a good job, being able to feed your wife and kids. I don't dream football, I dream the American dream - two cars in a garage, be a happy father.
Too often we are scared. Scared of what we might not be able to do. Scared of what people might think if we tried. We let fears stand in the way of our hopes. We say no when we want to say yes. We sit quietly when we want to scream. And we shout with the others, When we should keep our mouths shut. Why? After all, we do only go around once. There's really no time to be afraid. Just do it.
Maybe a good rule in life is never become too important to do your own laundry.
See God gave us the talent, but the devil make us famous. (Meaning)
I'm not better than anyone else. I'm not supposed to be on a pedestal. I've always stayed away from that.
My mother was a huge influence on me. She was a living example of what a Christian should be. Her conviction, her discipline. She would rather see other people happy than herself.
One of the flabby lines you hear sometimes is, 'Speak truth to power'. Power knows the truth. It's speaking the truth to yourself that's the challenge.
My desire to exit the game is greater than my desire to remain in it. I have searched my heart through and through and feel comfortable with this decision.
In all the time that people have known me, has anyone ever heard me talk about the importance of rushing records or finishing with the most touchdowns? So if that's never been important to me, then why would that be a motivation to keep playing?
I quit because I didnt feel like the Detroit Lions had a chance to win. It just killed my enjoyment of the game.
I don't dream football. I dream the American Dream - two cars in a garage, be a happy father.
Life doesn't stop with football.
I don’t want to get too detailed into it, but when you’re a good high school running back, you can almost be whatever type of runner you want to be. If you’re a good size and a good athlete, you can be whatever type of runner you want.
You know, I'm fairly intelligent, but I don't think my grades reflected that.
The game is the ultimate significance to me because it is so important to a lot of people. It has left a mark on our culture to be voted as one of the best to ever play.
It's hard to win in the NFL. You have to maintain a very delicate balance putting together the right team to be able to win and have any amount of success.
To me, he has his own style. He doesnt remind me any more of myself than I did (other tailbacks). I did things to remind people of Tony Dorsett, but it was a different style. Hes a guy who can catch balls like Marshall Faulk or somebody like that.
A lot of times I did lose yards on a run, but it wasn't for lack of trying.
Christianity affects your whole life. I feel I'm more competitive, a better player, but off the field is where there is always a battle.
As a kid, I played my share of football in the street or in a vacant lot.
It was a wonderful experience to play in the NFL, and I have no regrets. I truly will miss playing for the Lions. I consider the Lions' players, coaches, staff, management and fans my family. I leave on good terms with everyone in the organization.
It's probably similar to being in New York City and having a cab driver behind you and you're driving too slow. It's not the most pleasant thing.
As a kid, I played my share of football in the street or in a vacant lot. When we were playing in the street, it was more touch football, so we didn't hit each other into cars.
Let's just win it and go home.
Nothing ever turns out the way people expect it to.
If I could start with anybody, I would initially draft Tom Brady. Then I would go get Ray Lewis, and then maybe an offensive lineman, or somebody like Adrian Peterson.
Running back was always my favorite position.
Shortly after the end of last season, I felt that I probably would not return for the 1999-2000 season. I also felt that I should take as much time as possible to sort through my feelings and make sure that my feelings were backed with conviction.
Individual goals never meant that much to me. The Heisman is no exception.
You can look at everything from pre-Heisman to post-Heisman, and I think that’s why it ranks up at the top, because before then, I didn’t even think I was good enough to be a professional ballplayer.
The Heisman is the biggest award I've ever won.
According to the United Nations' latest count, of the approximately 3,000 languages spoken in the world today, only some 78 have a literature. Of those 78, a scant five or six enjoy a truly international audience.
― Barry Sanders Quotes
Barry Sanders (Athlete) Life Highlights
- Barry Sanders was born on July 16, 1968, in Wichita, Kansas, USA.
- He is a former American professional football player.
- Barry Sanders played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions.
- He is widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs in NFL history.
- Sanders had an illustrious college football career at Oklahoma State University, winning the Heisman Trophy in 1988 as the best player in college football.
- He was selected by the Detroit Lions as the third overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft.
- Barry Sanders' agility, speed, and elusiveness made him a highlight reel player, often making defenders miss with his breathtaking moves.
- He became known for his signature move, the "Barry Sanders spin," where he would quickly change direction to evade tacklers.
- Sanders won the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 1997, a season in which he rushed for over 2,000 yards.
- He was a ten-time Pro Bowl selection and a four-time rushing champion during his NFL career.
- Barry Sanders unexpectedly retired from professional football in 1999, leaving fans and the football world stunned.
- He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004, cementing his place as one of the all-time greats in the sport.
- Despite retiring early, Sanders' records and impact on the game have stood the test of time, and he remains an iconic figure in NFL history.
- After retiring from football, he pursued business ventures and charitable work.
- Barry Sanders' legacy continues to inspire new generations of football players and fans.
* The editor of this curated page made every effort to maintain information accuracy, including any sayings, quotes, facts, dates, or key life events.
Chief Editor
Tal Gur is an author, founder, and impact-driven entrepreneur at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own daring design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 major life goals around the globe. His journey and most recent book, The Art of Fully Living, has led him to found Elevate Society.
