Barry Sanders Announces Retirement From NFL

On July 28, 1999, Barry Sanders was well on his way to shattering Walter Payton's rushing record. At age 30, he could have ascended the ranks of the greatest players of all time -- he compiled statistics in his first nine years that were on par with those of Jim Brown, widely regarded as the best NFL player ever. He even brought prosperity to one of the most notoriously awful sports franchises in America: the Detroit Lions.

So you can imagine what a shock it was when on this day in 1999, Barry Sanders formally announced his retirement from the game of football. When the media tried to get in touch with him, they couldn't, as he was already on a plane to Europe.

Many were skeptical that Barry's retirement was some sort of hold-out and that eventually he would come back. He had six years left on his contract and was only 30. He had to come back, why wouldn't he?

But Sanders didn't come back, ever, and he left the Lions without their star player. Detroit made the playoffs in 1999 but would struggle mightily over the next decade, even suffering an 0-16 season in 2008.

In his 2003 autobiography, Barry Sanders revealed an explanation for his abrupt departure. Sanders was unhappy with the Lions' downward spiral over the years, particularly the disassembling of the '91 team that nearly made it to the Super Bowl. "When they got rid of Kevin Glover," Sanders wrote, "They convinced me that their goal wasn't anywhere close to being about winning games. I didn't realize it at the time, but part of me left with him, just as part of me left with those other guys I mentioned."

In the end, the losing culture of the Lions and their bungling management took its toll on Sanders. "I didn't see what good there was in hanging around when the organization wasn't trying to put together a winning team. Looking at what other teams in our division had done... I didn't think we were as serious about winning as our competitors." Sanders also wrote that there were tears in his eyes on the last day of the 1998 season, a 19-10 loss to the Bengals. "I knew it was over."

Sanders finished his career as second on the All-Time rushing list, behind only “Sweetness” Walter Payton. Since his retirement in 1999, Emmit Smith broke the All-Time rushing record and now Sanders is ranked third with 15,269 yards and 109 touchdowns.

Some of Sanders accomplishments include: 10 consecutive Pro-Bowl selections, six-time First-Team All-Pro, 1989 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, 1991 NFL Bert Bell Award (Player of the Year), 1994 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, 1997 NFL MVP, 1997 Bert Bell Award, 1997 NFL Offensive Player of the Year. As well being named to the NFL’s 1990’s All-Decade Team,

Sanders was also rated the no. 1 Most Elusive Running Back of All-Time by NFL.com and rated the no. 17 NFL Player of All-Time by NFL.com.

Sanders was inducted into Canton’s NFL Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

Check out the video below of Sanders' Top 10 plays Sports Center style:

Payton Sets NFL Record

On Nov. 20, 1977, Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton set the NFL record for most rushing yards in a single game with 275 Nov. 20, 1977. Payton scored the lone touchdown for the Chicago Bears en route to a 10-7 victory over their division rival the Minnesota Vikings.

ESPN reports his record is now fifth all-time as his record stood for 23 years.

The Vikings went on to lose in the NFC Championship game. Payton ran for his record while he was sick and battled the flu. Payton broke O.J. Simpson's record by two yards.

The current mark is 296 yards in one game set by Adrian Peterson playing for the Vikings Nov. 4, 2007.

Peterson’s record breaking 296-yards in a single game were only one-yard more than the record Jamal Lewis set rushing for the Baltimore Ravens against the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 14, 2003.

Since Peterson broke the single game rushing record, several backs have eclipsed the 200-yard rushing mark for a single game, and have come close to breaking Peterson’s record but none have done it.

Here are the list of backs in chronological order to get close to breaking the single-game rushing record:

Jerome Harrison at 26-years old ran for 286-yards for the Cleveland Browns vs. Kansas City Chiefs, on Dec. 20 2009. Harrison’s effort was good for third all-time.

Jamaal Charles at 23-years old ran for 259-yards for the  Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos, on  Jan. 3, 2010. Charles’ effort was good for eighth all-time.

DeMarco Murray at 23-years old ran for 253-yards for the  Dallas Cowboys vs. St. Louis Rams, on Oct. 23, 2011 . Murray’s effort was good for ninth all-time.

Last year the “Muscle Hamster” Doug Martin at 23-years old ran for 251-yards for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Oakland Raiders, on Nov. 4, 2012. Martin’s effort against the Raiders put him in the top 10 all-time tied with Mike Anderson’s 251-yard rushing game with the Denver Broncos vs. New Orleans Saints on Dec. 3, 2000.

Payton Breaks NFL Rushing Touchdown Record

On Sept. 20, 1987, 1987 Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton scored his record breaking career regular season rushing touchdown 107.  Payton broke the record, which was previously held by Cleveland Browns great Jim Brown.

Without a doubt, Walter Payton was one of the greatest football players that ever played the game.  At the time of his retirement he had the most career rushing touchdowns, most career rushing yards and no player carried the ball more times in their career than “Sweetness”. 

Payton was a nine-time Pro Bowler and was named league MVP in the 1977 season.  

Payton’s greatest on-field accomplishment was being one of the leaders of the Super Bowl champion 1985 Chicago Bears, a team considered by many as one of the greatest of all-time.

Payton would retire from football in 1987 with a record 110 rushing touchdowns. However, his record would not last long.  

In 1995 former Oakland Raider and then Kansas City Chiefs running back Marcus Allen would break Payton’s record with his career rushing touchdown 111. Allen would finish his career with 123 rushing touchdowns.

Since then only two players have eclipsed the record broken by Payton and Allen including LaDanian Tomlinson with 145 touchdowns and Emmit Smith, who finished with 164 touchdowns. Smith still stands as the single player with the most rushing touchdowns in a career.