Highlights
- Retired NFL star Barry Sanders experienced unexpected heart health issues.
- Afterward, Sanders highlighted the importance of prioritizing physical well-being.
- All these years later, some fans continue to believe Sanders retired too soon.
Sometimes, star NFL players look invincible on the field.
But they are, like the rest of us, human. Meaning that they, too, are susceptible to health issues, including those that aren’t expected.
One retired Detroit Lions legend just found that out.
Retired running back Barry Sanders took to X.com, formerly known as Twitter, to say that he’d had some unexpected health problems over Father’s Day weekend.
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Lions Legend Faces ‘Health Scare’
Sanders says it was unexpected.
“Over Father’s Day weekend, I experienced a health scare related to my heart,” the 55-year-old Sanders said in a statement posted on X. “It was unexpected and served as a reminder of the importance of staying vigilant about our physical well-being, even when we are feeling fine. I am grateful for the amazing doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals for providing me with needed care. My family and I are thankful for your prayers and support during this time. Per my doctors’ recommendation, I am taking this opportunity to prioritize my health and well-being. I appreciate your understanding and continued support.”
Sanders has the fourth-most rushing yards in NFL history — he toted the ball for 15,269 yards during his 10-year career and had 2,053 yards in the 1997 season. He scored 99 touchdowns before surprising the NFL world by retiring at the relatively young age of 31.
His numbers are impressive given how short his career was — and he even missed five games to injury in 1993.
The six-time All-Pro was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
Sanders won the Heisman at Oklahoma State before being taken by the Lions as the third overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft. He played his entire pro career with Detroit.
Sanders attended the 2024 NFL Draft, which was held in Detroit — there’s a statue of him outside of Ford Field, which is where the Lions play.
|
Barry Sanders Career Totals |
|
|---|---|
|
Seasons |
10 |
|
Games |
153 |
|
Rush Attempts |
3,062 |
|
Receptions |
352 |
|
Rushing Yards |
15,269 |
|
Receiving Yards |
2,921 |
|
Rushing Touchdowns |
99 |
|
Receiving Touchdowns |
10 |
It’s unclear exactly what affected Sanders, though in his statement he does mention it’s related to his heart. Hopefully, he’ll make a full recovery.
The Hall of Famer turns 56 next month and his most recent public appearance was last weekend at a fan meet-and-greet in Detroit.
Sanders retired early in part because Lions management wasn’t building a strong enough contender, and he was tired of putting up numbers for a team that had no chance at a Super Bowl appearance — let alone victory.
Sanders isn’t the only Lions offensive star to retire early — wide receiver Calvin Johnson walked away after just nine seasons with the Lions. He was only 30 years old at the time.
Since then, Detroit has built itself from a laughingstock into a contending team — the Lions were one poor half of play away from the Super Bowl in 2023.
He was within less than 1,500 yards of the all-time rushing record set by Walter Payton, and it seems likely that with one or two more seasons of play, he’d have broken it.
Sanders remains perhaps the most famous Lions player of all time, and here’s hoping for his swift recovery.
Sources: NFL.com, X.com, New York Post
All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.
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