So much respect for the great Barry Sanders. The best running back in history, hands down. He did his celebration dance during the run, which is why he simply handed the ball to the ref at the endzone.
Story that stuck with me, Barry showed up to practice one day saying he bought himself a Jaguar. Teammates couldn't believe that he'd buy something so flashy. They go out to the parking lot and sure enough there's a Jaguar there but not new. It's about 10 or 12 years old. No flash. Just humble.
@@shruggzdastr8-facedclown lol no.. Jags are some of the most depreciating cars in the world after their warranty expires. They cant even give away a lot of old Jags.. Now Im sure Barry got a nice sport model tho.
@@JonHop1: Now that you mention it, I'd say that most of the Jags that I see (not many) are no more than 5-10 yrs. old -- could prolly count on one hand how many were 20 yrs. or older.
This was a "typical" Barry Sanders series of runs....3-yard gain, 1 yard loss, 5 yard gain, 1 yard gain, 1 yard loss, 68 yard touchdown run. And the amazing things would be that on those first 5 runs, he was a step away from breaking them for a long gain.
I told my wife when we got together that she was the second prettiest thing I've ever seen on two legs... she inquired as to who was first, and I subsequently showed her a highlight video of Barry Sanders.
@@richman61 I believe that it was linebacker Reggie Brown...it stopped the game for a long time..If I remember correctly they had to perform surgery on the field..he was also paralyzed...
@@johncanning731 yeah you're probably right. it was a long time too. just looked it up, sanders was playing against the Jets and Utley was hurt against the Steelers. but both happened in 1997.
Barry is all class. Greatest runner ever. Imagine if he played on someone besides Detroit. Don't blame him for retiring early with plenty left in the tank
Lions offensive line had multiple pro bowlers.. Berry ran for a lot of yards and you can’t do that without a line… Berry always showered his line with gifts…. Lions was missing a QB that’s all we needed….
@@darrellmitchell4338 They had Kevin Glover and Lomas Brown. Glover made 3 pro bowls and Brown made 6 pro bowls and 1 all pro selection. All Pro selections are actually more of a valid ranking system not based on fan votes alone. So I would never use pro bowl appearances to try and make any point regardless of what specific thing is being discussed. I wouldn'tsay the Lions had a great O line back then, it was slightly above average at best, perhaps peaking around 1992-1995. It is very true that the Lions were indeed missing a QB, yet in 1991 they managed to make the NFC title game so it can be done again.
@@hattershouse710 STOP IT… all pro teams is political I wouldn’t put stock in that… Considering that the Lions is not a media favorite so they wouldn’t pick too many players from Lions on a All pro team… they put Dallas whole line on that list… BOTTOM LINE you don’t run for all the yards Barry ran for without a good line and that’s facts…
I remember reading that a reporter asked him why he didn't celebrate after scoring a TD. Barry replied, "I feel it's disrespectful to the defense." 100% hardcore, class act.
Lusiphur, can confirm. It was low key the biggest dig to the defense just handing the ball to the ref like, it’s not a challenge/just another day to him.
Ran into one of Barry’ teammates in Columbus after Barry retired. William White. Stated Barry was as advertised. Very humble and kind. He could make a 2 yard run look good. Best ever no doubt
He remains the greatest running back to ever carry the rock. Cats who played against him can see him in their dreams... and they still can't catch him.
It was ten years after Barry retired that I realized he wasn’t coming back. I held out hope, but it wasn’t meant to be. You guessed right, Barry was and still is my all time favorite.
Me and some buddies ate with Barry late night at a Denny's in Pontiac, it was around 1am and he was just sitting there eating like a normal person. This was after he retired by a couple years. Very cool to talk to.
...and I bet that the mgmt of that Denny's location would've let him eat there for free, but he would've insisted on paying the full price AND left a very sizable tip.
As a Cowboys fan I’ve always wondered what could have been if Barry ran behind the 90’s Cowboy’s O-line instead of Emmett. Barry was different and would have shattered records!
Barry DID shatter records. Until he retired. Emmitt's five extra seasons (including his pathetic end in Arizona) are the ONLY reason he holds the rushing title. Barry was far more talented.
He would have had numbers similar to his college numbers. At least 2000 yards every year at over 6 yards per carry. The year he went over 2000 yards he actually had a decent line but they still didn't even close to the Cowboys line of the 90s.
You're a Cowboys fan but you don't know how to spell EMMITT. A true Cowboy fan would also know that NONE of the offensive linemen Emmitt ran behind even sniffed a Pro Bowl until AFTER Emmitt's 3rd season. He made them a LOT better too. Barry had an excellent line with multiple Pro Bowler Lomas Brown and Kevin Glover at center. Drop this BULLSHIT narrative that "Barry had no talent around him". Get some new material.
@@dirtporcelain then he ripped off his moist, sweat-stained, tight, form-fitted pants and said “when you get to the Hershey Highway, act like you’ve been there” That’s a direct quote from his biographer Eaton Beaver.
I’m originally from Detroit and I’ve met Barry Sanders on a couple of occasions. The most down-to-earth, nicest man I’ve ever met. And the best to ever have done it. #Goat
The GOAT of RB’s. The highest % of lost yards per game behind a shit O-line on a team that had almost no other weapons. And he still came within one season of the all-time career rushing record if he hadn’t retired early.
Could you imagine if Barry Sanders played for the cowboys in the 90s with there Super Bowl runs with a spectacular line that Dallas had. He would have broke the record and a running back would have never touched him. The guy was spectacular I couldn’t wait to watch a lions game just to see him play!
Barry wasn't in it to be the man with the most yardage like Emmit was. He left on top and one can only imagine if he was behind the lines of the Cowboys, Redskins or Broncos during his playing years. Barry Sanders is the best I will ever see.
I miss going to the Pontiac silverdome, and watching him play. He deserved better! Him and Moss, are my favorite players all time! I really miss, watching them play!
Barry Sanders college coach Pat Jones said that today's athlete's and their nutrition regimen and their work out routines are great, but he saw Barry Sanders rush for 2,500 yards on Fritos and Twinkies!
The GOAT debates are always fun! Most people (not all) agree that Brown, Payton, and Sanders are interchangeable at the Top 3. Personally, I loved also watching Bo's pure speed, Billy Sims' acrobatics, Marcus' beautiful gazelle-like gait, and Dickerson's upright gallop!
It's a shame that Bo Jackson had his career cut short like it was. Had he been able to play a full career, he might have crept into the GOAT conversation.
Like John Madden said, “if God has made a better running back, I have yet to see him” Why hasn’t anyone made (Barry’s greatest runs of 5yards or less) Nobody could make a video like this worth watching but Barry!!
Barry Sanders was the man. The best running back of all time. People think that Emmit Smith was the only thing I can say is Emmit wishes he was as good as Barry!
Barry is the best running RB I ever seen but Emmitt was better in pass protection and had a much bigger impact in playoff games if you compare averages. Emmitt was also better at getting TD's and on goal-line plays.
Man, you suffered a lot. It wasn't easy being a Lions fan then (or now, come to think of it). It's such a shame that Sanders never really had a good team around him.
Barry Sanders is the GOAT. Rice was passed to by not 1 but 2 HOFers. Every D KNEW Barry was getting the ball and 8 defenders touched him and the play ends in a LIONS TD. With RICE and BRADY's Teams it was HOF handing off to or passing to a HOF. Barry had 7-8 OCs and 4-5 QBs in 10 years and still was a Pro-Bowler EVERY YEAR and HIS HOF Bust was designed and made in the 90s.
My all-time favorite offensive player. I viewed being able to watch his career unfold to be as much of a privilege as watching other generational athletes like Jordan, or like MLB's Ohtani today, etc. Any of those all-time greats who play at a level that's so amazing, it has to be God given.
I remember that game Troy is talking about. It was a Monday night game in 1994. Emmitt vs. Barry. They combined for something like 350 yards. Great game.
I always appreciate athletes like Barry Sanders. He was probably the best player and athlete on the field anytime he played yet he never felt a need to draw attention to himself. He had every right be arrogant and full of himself but wasn’t. So refreshing.
As witnesses of Barry's greatness, we have to speak up for him because he would never - he's one of the most beloved players around the league by ALL fans, not just Detroit. I still remember at a NFL draft where he was supposed to read a Lions pick where the crowd chanted his name and wouldn't let him read the selection - still brings back goosebumps...
I am old enough that I grew up watching the late, great Gale Sayers, who, at the time, was considered to be the greatest broken field runner ever. But then Barry came along. Game over.
Barry Sanders is a legend for so many reasons. One in my mind that you won't find on the stat sheet is his td celebration. I've heard several reasons about why he just handed the ball to the ref but I remember him saying one time he was told by a coach early in his football career to just hand the ball to the ref. It was the ultimate sign of disrespect to your opponent which I think is awesome. I've also heard Barry say he did it because he can't dance, so who knows? Maybe a combination of both.
As a lions fan, I just feel sick that we never did right by this man. He did everything ever asked of him and more. He was pure class his entire career. Emmit Smith knows that if Barry wanted that record it would have been his, but to Barry it was always about the team and not himself. If you wanted to show a person how to be a professional, show them Barry Sanders.
Barry also knew that he would have only borrowed the record because he knew it would eventually be emmitts. And u can't say that Emmitt never put his team first either. The record meant more to Emmitt because Walter Payton meant more to Emmitt than he did to Barry. Ppl always discredit emmitts abilities and he worked for all the records. Barry's talent wus God given but Emmitt has to work to get where he got. Hands down to both Barry and Emmitt so lucky I got to watch their whole careers
Troy's remark about how Barry won the Heisman despite there being no real campaign to hype him up, is an indicator of just how dominant his season was. After 30-plus years, his single season rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and total touchdowns have yet to be broken, and this was during the shorter 12-game season they had back then as well. If they had a 14-15 game schedule back then like they do now, those records would be on the same level as DiMaggio's hit streak.
Barry is simply the greatest RB to ever play in the NFL. Maybe Bo would have been better. But Barry was special in a different way. You just couldn’t get him down. And it was just like no one ever to play.
I WATCHED A LOT OF HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS GUY!!!! HE WAS A HUMAN VIDEO GAME!!!!! CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I WAS SEEING!!! I THOUGHT THE FILM MITE HAVE BEEN DOCTORED!!!!!
That junior year where he won the Heisman can never be equaled by anyone. It's a record that is untouchable. Impossible to duplicate or even come close to. Kenneth Walker this year is the top rusher with 148 yards a game. 90 yards less per game than what Barry had that year.
@@mexzeppelin7883 I remember that, to get that kind of endorsement from arguably one of the most gifted athletes ever, it says something about how amazing Barry was. He (and Bo) are once in a lifetime talents. Heck, I'm not sure if we'll see another RB with that kind of quickness / vision / balance that Barry had. He was unbelievable to watch. I didn't care about the Lions at all, but I would never miss one of their games if Barry was playing since you knew he'd do something crazy.
I wasn't an Aikman fan simply because he played for the Cowboys. I have hated Dallas since I was a kid. Now looking back, I respect guys like Troy, Emmitt & Micheal as people and athletes.
Jefff you have to. They were great. They played great, clutch football. Hated their guts but respected their game. And now that I’m older, I appreciate having gotten to watch them in their greatness.
I'm a die hard 49er fan always will be but I never missed a Barry Sanders game he will always be the greatest running back in my maybe the greatest football player of all time
And I love them all for it! All the diva athletes of today have killed the game for me. Walter Payton and Emmit Smith were as well. In today's game Derrick Henry is the best example of humble, for me.
Barry was Beyond The Greatest of ALL-TIME ! The only player in History to consistently HUMILIATE Hall of Famers & The Greatest Players in the World. Messi is the only other person that is in the same league as The Great Barry Sanders !
Didn’t he retire at 30 years old? Probably because he was stuck in Detroit like Calvin Johnson many years later. Barry Sanders records would never be even closely touched if he played a full career.
despite being 30 he was still at the top of his game. The dude was so quick and his acceleration was insane, tacklers couldn't get a good shot on him so he never really got injured. Hell, forget trying to get him with a good shot, most defenders would be thanking god if they managed to get him down and didn't end up on the wrong end of a highlight reel lol.
If Barry had the Cowboys O Line the single season rushing record probably would have been up to 3,000 yards, or more. Imagine him going forward the majority of the time instead of going to the outside. Someone said Emmit and Barry in the same backfield? Jesus, talk about pick your poison. The defense would be calling mom, pray for us.
A modest man who is the GOAT! Another man with similar greatness and humility is Pacquiao. Both are such a joy because they never let their sucess get to them.
I went to middle school with a kid who would tell us that Barry Sanders was his cousin. I kind of believed him but didn’t realize how close Dallas was to Wichita and how likely it was that this was true
Barry Sanders could juke, spin and dodge and be gone in a step but he could lower his head and run over people as well. Poetry in Motion with a hammer. I realize Aikman won three Superbowls and was named to several ProBowls but even given all that hardware, he was the most underrated QB of all time. The guy could not only wing it but he had every other skill required of a quarterback.
Imagine having Thurman Thomas as the running back and Barry Sanders as his backup, at Oklahoma State. Imagine if Barry Sanders had been drafted by the Bills and Thurman Thomas was drafted by the Lions?
Barry has always been so respectful of his father's strong belief that the greatest RB ever was Jim Brown... For his father to never waver from that speaks volumes to just how dominant Jim Brown was...
No is Father said that to keep his son in a perpetual 'I gotta please my father mode'. His father, even if he believed that should have kept it to himself, or at least between them. He dominated and controlled Barry's every move. Was pissed he went to OSU. Forced him to turn pto. Barry wanted one more year in college. Imagine what he would have done the following year. But In the end Barry got the final laugh. By retiring early Barry accomplished 2 goals. 1 was to finally control his destiny and 2, and more importantly he got his father to respect him. Because he did exactly what Jim Brown did, retire early. Why was his father so insistent on calling his son the 3rd best running back of all time? Maybe to usurp some of the control Barry had regained years earlier. He reminds me of Pistol Pete's father. A ruthless and manipulative taskmaster.
He was raised to be a solid gentleman on and off of the field, and he was nothing less than a class act.
Now ain’t that the truth 💯🏃🏿💨👑🍯
Amen to that!
His dad always said Jim Brown was the best RB ever. Grow up with modesty.
It’s actually funny because his dad was completely opposite 😂.
So much respect for the great Barry Sanders. The best running back in history, hands down. He did his celebration dance during the run, which is why he simply handed the ball to the ref at the endzone.
I like this 🫡
That is far from hands down lol
Story that stuck with me, Barry showed up to practice one day saying he bought himself a Jaguar. Teammates couldn't believe that he'd buy something so flashy. They go out to the parking lot and sure enough there's a Jaguar there but not new. It's about 10 or 12 years old. No flash. Just humble.
What a guy
A used/"pre-owned" Jag is still worth more than a lot of other never-driven new cars
@@shruggzdastr8-facedclown Are you dense?
@@shruggzdastr8-facedclown lol no.. Jags are some of the most depreciating cars in the world after their warranty expires. They cant even give away a lot of old Jags.. Now Im sure Barry got a nice sport model tho.
@@JonHop1: Now that you mention it, I'd say that most of the Jags that I see (not many) are no more than 5-10 yrs. old -- could prolly count on one hand how many were 20 yrs. or older.
Barry Sanders was our generations Gayle Sayers. Im so thankful I got to see him play.
I think even Gayle Sayers would appreciate the comparison
And to walk away with zero regrets knowing that he could’ve owned just about every record out there. That makes him number one in my book.
i was not a lions fan but i was a Barry Sanders fan all the way great player great human being what else can we say
He’s my all time favorite running back. He exemplified the best during a play and after. No narcissistic behavior!!!
Barry is the GOAT because he was a threat to score on every single play and from anywhere on the field.
This was a "typical" Barry Sanders series of runs....3-yard gain, 1 yard loss, 5 yard gain, 1 yard gain, 1 yard loss, 68 yard touchdown run. And the amazing things would be that on those first 5 runs, he was a step away from breaking them for a long gain.
as a chicagoan, i got to watch him his whole career. he was the show.. every single game. amazing.
Well I am from the D and I had season tickets lmao 😂💯. There's never going to be another like Barry!
I agree, Aikman was amazing
I told my wife when we got together that she was the second prettiest thing I've ever seen on two legs... she inquired as to who was first, and I subsequently showed her a highlight video of Barry Sanders.
@@harlequin2280 I told your wife the same thing
@@DWQJVB I know, she told me that she'd heard that before from other guys, but that I was the first person without a micropenis to say that to her...
I've met Barry, and I've met, even hung out with Nolan Ryan. Both men are so humble and unassuming. Jovial and very polite
I wish all nfl superstars were classy like Barry.
I’d settle for just the wide receivers
@@CorePathway lol
I was at the game that Barry broke the 2000 yd mark against the big tuna and the jets at the silverdome!!! He was the best ever....!!!!!
Same here! Holding a Barry-o-meter sign.
I wasn't there but i did see the game live on T.V.....Lions(Sanders) fan all the way from Los Angeles CA.....
i was there too. Mike Utley went down in that game too.
@@richman61 I believe that it was linebacker Reggie Brown...it stopped the game for a long time..If I remember correctly they had to perform surgery on the field..he was also paralyzed...
@@johncanning731 yeah you're probably right. it was a long time too. just looked it up, sanders was playing against the Jets and Utley was hurt against the Steelers. but both happened in 1997.
Barry is all class. Greatest runner ever. Imagine if he played on someone besides Detroit. Don't blame him for retiring early with plenty left in the tank
My god...if he ran behind Emmitts line he would’ve had 3000 yard seasons! 🤷♂️
Lions offensive line had multiple pro bowlers.. Berry ran for a lot of yards and you can’t do that without a line… Berry always showered his line with gifts…. Lions was missing a QB that’s all we needed….
@@darrellmitchell4338 They had Kevin Glover and Lomas Brown. Glover made 3 pro bowls and Brown made 6 pro bowls and 1 all pro selection. All Pro selections are actually more of a valid ranking system not based on fan votes alone. So I would never use pro bowl appearances to try and make any point regardless of what specific thing is being discussed. I wouldn'tsay the Lions had a great O line back then, it was slightly above average at best, perhaps peaking around 1992-1995. It is very true that the Lions were indeed missing a QB, yet in 1991 they managed to make the NFC title game so it can be done again.
@@hattershouse710 STOP IT… all pro teams is political I wouldn’t put stock in that… Considering that the Lions is not a media favorite so they wouldn’t pick too many players from Lions on a All pro team… they put Dallas whole line on that list… BOTTOM LINE you don’t run for all the yards Barry ran for without a good line and that’s facts…
Time traveling team - Sanders + Calvin Johnson
Always remember him handing the ball to the referee after scoring; no spike, no dance, no "hey look at me moments". A class act.
I remember reading that a reporter asked him why he didn't celebrate after scoring a TD. Barry replied, "I feel it's disrespectful to the defense." 100% hardcore, class act.
Lusiphur, can confirm. It was low key the biggest dig to the defense just handing the ball to the ref like, it’s not a challenge/just another day to him.
I always remember reading this comment a thousand times.
@@lmc3468 hahaha... Yes man. Like its too easy for him
To that end, would the NFL still be nicknamed the No Fun League if every player comported himself as Barry Sanders did?
Ran into one of Barry’ teammates in Columbus after Barry retired. William White. Stated Barry was as advertised. Very humble and kind.
He could make a 2 yard run look good. Best ever no doubt
He remains the greatest running back to ever carry the rock. Cats who played against him can see him in their dreams... and they still can't catch him.
Amen
Never understood how people could compare him to Emmit. Barry is WAY BETTER! Emmit isn't even the best cowboy RB ever. Tony D is
Yeah it was him and Jim Brown for my top 2 ever
@@ufcman8015 Indeed my friend on both points.
@@Terry794 he would have had regular 2k yard seasons.
It was ten years after Barry retired that I realized he wasn’t coming back. I held out hope, but it wasn’t meant to be. You guessed right, Barry was and still is my all time favorite.
Lol ,
same but I knew after 3yrs
Me and some buddies ate with Barry late night at a Denny's in Pontiac, it was around 1am and he was just sitting there eating like a normal person. This was after he retired by a couple years. Very cool to talk to.
...and I bet that the mgmt of that Denny's location would've let him eat there for free, but he would've insisted on paying the full price AND left a very sizable tip.
As a Cowboys fan I’ve always wondered what could have been if Barry ran behind the 90’s Cowboy’s O-line instead of Emmett. Barry was different and would have shattered records!
Smith Sanders backfield woulda been magical highlights....
Barry DID shatter records. Until he retired. Emmitt's five extra seasons (including his pathetic end in Arizona) are the ONLY reason he holds the rushing title. Barry was far more talented.
50,000 yards rushing 😂😂😂
He would have had numbers similar to his college numbers. At least 2000 yards every year at over 6 yards per carry. The year he went over 2000 yards he actually had a decent line but they still didn't even close to the Cowboys line of the 90s.
You're a Cowboys fan but you don't know how to spell EMMITT. A true Cowboy fan would also know that NONE of the offensive linemen Emmitt ran behind even sniffed a Pro Bowl until AFTER Emmitt's 3rd season. He made them a LOT better too. Barry had an excellent line with multiple Pro Bowler Lomas Brown and Kevin Glover at center. Drop this BULLSHIT narrative that "Barry had no talent around him". Get some new material.
I love Barry. Troy seems like such a good dude.......
When Barry scored touchdowns he didn't dance. He simply jogged over to the referee and handed him the ball. Barry is pure class.
The best of the best
That’s what you do when you are losing by 40 points every game
He said "when you get into the endzone, act like you've been there before"
@@dirtporcelain then he ripped off his moist, sweat-stained, tight, form-fitted pants and said “when you get to the Hershey Highway, act like you’ve been there” That’s a direct quote from his biographer Eaton Beaver.
@@DWQJVB Trolling a Barry Sanders article. That means you're at least 50 and this pathetic. Remember you have to pay your Mom rent In 2 days.
Sanders and Spielman both class acts.
Just a thrill to watch every time he played it was like wait for it , here he comes!
I’m originally from Detroit and I’ve met Barry Sanders on a couple of occasions. The most down-to-earth, nicest man I’ve ever met. And the best to ever have done it. #Goat
Best I’ve ever seen
Thanks Barry
Great memories
The GOAT of RB’s. The highest % of lost yards per game behind a shit O-line on a team that had almost no other weapons. And he still came within one season of the all-time career rushing record if he hadn’t retired early.
One of my favorites. The greatest running back I have seen.
“Hey do u mind if I have lunch with u?”
No not at all, who are u ?
I’m the future heisman winner
Could you imagine if Barry Sanders played for the cowboys in the 90s with there Super Bowl runs with a spectacular line that Dallas had. He would have broke the record and a running back would have never touched him. The guy was spectacular I couldn’t wait to watch a lions game just to see him play!
Barry was the most Humble person on the football field every time
"Unaffected"
Such a great way to be.
Barry wasn't in it to be the man with the most yardage like Emmit was. He left on top and one can only imagine if he was behind the lines of the Cowboys, Redskins or Broncos during his playing years. Barry Sanders is the best I will ever see.
I miss going to the Pontiac silverdome, and watching him play. He deserved better! Him and Moss, are my favorite players all time! I really miss, watching them play!
Great player. Great guy. Troy Polamalu was a very humble superstar as well.
And just like Sanders, Troy was just as humble and soft-spoken in real life.
Thanks for sharing my exact thoughts on Barry sanders. A perfect example of greatness and humility. 👍
Barry Sanders college coach Pat Jones said that today's athlete's and their nutrition regimen and their work out routines are great, but he saw Barry Sanders rush for 2,500 yards on Fritos and Twinkies!
Haha
And Pat Jones lived of coffee and Cigs
The GOAT debates are always fun! Most people (not all) agree that Brown, Payton, and Sanders are interchangeable at the Top 3. Personally, I loved also watching Bo's pure speed, Billy Sims' acrobatics, Marcus' beautiful gazelle-like gait, and Dickerson's upright gallop!
It's a shame that Bo Jackson had his career cut short like it was. Had he been able to play a full career, he might have crept into the GOAT conversation.
Barry sanders was greatest running back I ever saw on TV. Unbelievable moves and could stop on dime. And be at full speed in a few seconds
Barry Sanders is going to go down at the best running back
Like John Madden said,
“if God has made a better running back, I have yet to see him”
Why hasn’t anyone made
(Barry’s greatest runs of 5yards or less)
Nobody could make a video like this worth watching but Barry!!
I'd love to see that
I'd watch the hell out of that, but make it at least 25. All the people that react to "the greatest runs of Barry Sanders" haven't seen most of them.
Barry Sanders was the man. The best running back of all time. People think that Emmit Smith was the only thing I can say is Emmit wishes he was as good as Barry!
If Barry was running behind the line Emmett had his records wound be untouchable.
Barry is the best running RB I ever seen but Emmitt was better in pass protection and had a much bigger impact in playoff games if you compare averages. Emmitt was also better at getting TD's and on goal-line plays.
Emmitt Smith himself has said as much in interviews.
I never get tired of hearing people talk about Barry.
Barry never ever celebrated after scoring a touchdown. Talk about a humble man!
Happy to say I never missed a Barry Sanders game as a pro.
Man, you suffered a lot. It wasn't easy being a Lions fan then (or now, come to think of it). It's such a shame that Sanders never really had a good team around him.
Barry really is a great kind guy. Too bad we didn't hear from him fir so many years thanks to the Fords. Nice interview Dan.
Barry and Troy are both class act athletes.
Barry Sanders is the GOAT. Rice was passed to by not 1 but 2 HOFers. Every D KNEW Barry was getting the ball and 8 defenders touched him and the play ends in a LIONS TD. With RICE and BRADY's Teams it was HOF handing off to or passing to a HOF. Barry had 7-8 OCs and 4-5 QBs in 10 years and still was a Pro-Bowler EVERY YEAR and HIS HOF Bust was designed and made in the 90s.
My all-time favorite offensive player. I viewed being able to watch his career unfold to be as much of a privilege as watching other generational athletes like Jordan, or like MLB's Ohtani today, etc. Any of those all-time greats who play at a level that's so amazing, it has to be God given.
I remember that game Troy is talking about. It was a Monday night game in 1994. Emmitt vs. Barry. They combined for something like 350 yards. Great game.
I always appreciate athletes like Barry Sanders. He was probably the best player and athlete on the field anytime he played yet he never felt a need to draw attention to himself. He had every right be arrogant and full of himself but wasn’t. So refreshing.
As witnesses of Barry's greatness, we have to speak up for him because he would never - he's one of the most beloved players around the league by ALL fans, not just Detroit. I still remember at a NFL draft where he was supposed to read a Lions pick where the crowd chanted his name and wouldn't let him read the selection - still brings back goosebumps...
I am old enough that I grew up watching the late, great Gale Sayers, who, at the time, was considered to be the greatest broken field runner ever. But then Barry came along. Game over.
Oklahoma State had Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders. Wow.
Third guy gets Zilch🤣
If Barry had that Dallas line that Emmitt had, he would have ran for 4,000 yards a season
3,000, for sure... lol
No doubt about it!
Barry Sanders is a legend for so many reasons. One in my mind that you won't find on the stat sheet is his td celebration. I've heard several reasons about why he just handed the ball to the ref but I remember him saying one time he was told by a coach early in his football career to just hand the ball to the ref. It was the ultimate sign of disrespect to your opponent which I think is awesome. I've also heard Barry say he did it because he can't dance, so who knows? Maybe a combination of both.
As a lions fan, I just feel sick that we never did right by this man. He did everything ever asked of him and more. He was pure class his entire career. Emmit Smith knows that if Barry wanted that record it would have been his, but to Barry it was always about the team and not himself. If you wanted to show a person how to be a professional, show them Barry Sanders.
Barry also knew that he would have only borrowed the record because he knew it would eventually be emmitts. And u can't say that Emmitt never put his team first either. The record meant more to Emmitt because Walter Payton meant more to Emmitt than he did to Barry. Ppl always discredit emmitts abilities and he worked for all the records. Barry's talent wus God given but Emmitt has to work to get where he got. Hands down to both Barry and Emmitt so lucky I got to watch their whole careers
I still think Walter Payton was the best ever, but Troy Aikman’s story about the amazing 2-yard run perfectly sums up Barry Sanders excellence!
Troy's remark about how Barry won the Heisman despite there being no real campaign to hype him up, is an indicator of just how dominant his season was. After 30-plus years, his single season rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and total touchdowns have yet to be broken, and this was during the shorter 12-game season they had back then as well. If they had a 14-15 game schedule back then like they do now, those records would be on the same level as DiMaggio's hit streak.
Oh man I loved Barry. Beautiful
The greatest RB of all time.
Barry is simply the greatest RB to ever play in the NFL. Maybe Bo would have been better. But Barry was special in a different way. You just couldn’t get him down. And it was just like no one ever to play.
Barry Sanders and Dale Murphy were two of my late father's favorite athletes.
Thx Dan, great as ever making sport talk enjoyable and accurate
I WATCHED A LOT OF HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS GUY!!!! HE WAS A HUMAN VIDEO GAME!!!!! CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I WAS SEEING!!! I THOUGHT THE FILM MITE HAVE BEEN DOCTORED!!!!!
Good to see Barry getting more due recognition.
Greatest RB of all time, Character and all
That junior year where he won the Heisman can never be equaled by anyone. It's a record that is untouchable. Impossible to duplicate or even come close to. Kenneth Walker this year is the top rusher with 148 yards a game. 90 yards less per game than what Barry had that year.
Bo Jackson was pretty humble too
Remember that comment Bo said about Barry..." Barry Sanders is my new idol. When I grow up i want to be just like him."
-Bo Jackson
@@mexzeppelin7883 I remember that, to get that kind of endorsement from arguably one of the most gifted athletes ever, it says something about how amazing Barry was. He (and Bo) are once in a lifetime talents. Heck, I'm not sure if we'll see another RB with that kind of quickness / vision / balance that Barry had. He was unbelievable to watch. I didn't care about the Lions at all, but I would never miss one of their games if Barry was playing since you knew he'd do something crazy.
Barry is my favorite player of all time (49ers fan since 1984).
I wasn't an Aikman fan simply because he played for the Cowboys. I have hated Dallas since I was a kid. Now looking back, I respect guys like Troy, Emmitt & Micheal as people and athletes.
Jefff you have to. They were great. They played great, clutch football. Hated their guts but respected their game. And now that I’m older, I appreciate having gotten to watch them in their greatness.
Now Barry I liked even when I was a fan of their division rival, Vikings.
You respect Michael as a person?
I'm a die hard 49er fan always will be but I never missed a Barry Sanders game he will always be the greatest running back in my maybe the greatest football player of all time
That early 90s Lions team had the potential to win a Super Bowl, but wow did they have some tragedies such as Mike Utley and Eric Andolsek.
Another unaffected superstar was Bo Jackson. Dude is insanely humble. Hershel Walker too
podcast
And I love them all for it! All the diva athletes of today have killed the game for me. Walter Payton and Emmit Smith were as well. In today's game Derrick Henry is the best example of humble, for me.
@@bryanelam7431 emmitt was not humble. He talked a lot. Everything else I agree with you
@@smshy20 we all have our opinions but I have always seen Emmit as humble.
Barry is THE greatest RB ever.
I always said, if he had the Dallas Cowboys o-line of that era, he would have three or four 2000 yard seasons. Best runner in the history of the NFL.
Barry was Beyond The Greatest of ALL-TIME !
The only player in History to consistently HUMILIATE Hall of Famers & The Greatest Players in the World.
Messi is the only other person that is in the same league as The Great Barry Sanders !
Miss what the NFL use to be and stand for. I haven't even watched a game in 3 years. It's sad.
Barry ,sweetness and jim brown are the 3 best. Dickerson could be there also but any of those 3 are all you'd need.
Yes and if you got to the playoffs and you had terrell davis you would win championships
@@stevenbrown6720 dont compare that joke to those 3
That star was never stopped in the playoffs no one stopped him back 2 back that's what it's about championships
One's initials are T.D.
I agree 100%. Those are the three best hands down.
Troy Aikman class act to speak on Sanders that way.
Love me some Barry Sanders & Roger Maris.
Barry Sanders is the best running back of all times
Maybe my favorite player of all-time and I'm not even a Lions fan.
Barry Sanders is best RB of all time. Emmit Smith may have the records and rings but Barry's the man.
Didn’t he retire at 30 years old? Probably because he was stuck in Detroit like Calvin Johnson many years later. Barry Sanders records would never be even closely touched if he played a full career.
despite being 30 he was still at the top of his game. The dude was so quick and his acceleration was insane, tacklers couldn't get a good shot on him so he never really got injured. Hell, forget trying to get him with a good shot, most defenders would be thanking god if they managed to get him down and didn't end up on the wrong end of a highlight reel lol.
Could you imagine if Barry played on a good team?
Lions were 78 and 82 WITH Barry Sanders. ‘Nuff said.
@@gregoryfilar1783 You just made willy565's point... lol
As a Lions fan, 78-82 is good for the Lions. sadly
Lions are 4-1 against the 90s Cowboys
I always wished he played for the Steelers lol
Dan Patrick’s voice sounds like Alan Alda 😂
Greatest running back of all time
Barry Sanders = Class
I don't care what the "record books" say, Barry is the best running back to EVER play the game. I'm a Green Bay fan, by the way.
If Barry had the Cowboys
O Line the single season rushing record probably would have been up to 3,000 yards, or more. Imagine him going forward the majority of the time instead of going to the outside. Someone said Emmit and Barry in the same backfield? Jesus, talk about pick your poison. The defense would be calling mom, pray for us.
You treat others like ladies and gentlemen, not because they are, but because YOU are.
The Rod Woodson injury still haunts Steeler fans, 2 feet away and didn't lay a hand on Barry and blew his knee out
I wish Barry was playing on this team right now.
A modest man who is the GOAT! Another man with similar greatness and humility is Pacquiao. Both are such a joy because they never let their sucess get to them.
I went to middle school with a kid who would tell us that Barry Sanders was his cousin. I kind of believed him but didn’t realize how close Dallas was to Wichita and how likely it was that this was true
Thurman Thomas was an all american running back & yet teams were more afraid of his backup
From South Carolina our only baseball team was Atlanta!! Dale Murphy was the man!
Barry Sanders could juke, spin and dodge and be gone in a step but he could lower his head and run over people as well. Poetry in Motion with a hammer. I realize Aikman won three Superbowls and was named to several ProBowls but even given all that hardware, he was the most underrated QB of all time. The guy could not only wing it but he had every other skill required of a quarterback.
Imagine having Thurman Thomas as the running back and Barry Sanders as his backup, at Oklahoma State. Imagine if Barry Sanders had been drafted by the Bills and Thurman Thomas was drafted by the Lions?
Barry has always been so respectful of his father's strong belief that the greatest RB ever was Jim Brown... For his father to never waver from that speaks volumes to just how dominant Jim Brown was...
No is Father said that to keep his son in a perpetual 'I gotta please my father mode'. His father, even if he believed that should have kept it to himself, or at least between them. He dominated and controlled Barry's every move. Was pissed he went to OSU. Forced him to turn pto. Barry wanted one more year in college. Imagine what he would have done the following year.
But In the end Barry got the final laugh. By retiring early Barry accomplished 2 goals. 1 was to finally control his destiny and 2, and more importantly he got his father to respect him. Because he did exactly what Jim Brown did, retire early.
Why was his father so insistent on calling his son the 3rd best running back of all time? Maybe to usurp some of the control Barry had regained years earlier. He reminds me of Pistol Pete's father. A ruthless and manipulative taskmaster.