Why they rank here
No runner was more electrifying, or more impossible to tackle in the open field, than Barry Sanders. In just ten seasons with a mostly modest Detroit Lions supporting cast, he ran for 15,269 yards and 99 touchdowns while averaging 5.0 yards per carry, and he made the Pro Bowl in all ten years. His 1997 MVP season saw him rush for 2,053 yards, one of only a handful of 2,000-yard campaigns in history. Sanders combined a preternaturally low center of gravity with stop-start agility that left defenders grasping at air, producing highlight runs that remain iconic. He shocked the sport by retiring at 30, within reach of the all-time rushing record, leaving fans to wonder just how high his numbers might have climbed.
Career profile
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Head-to-head
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