Detroit Lions legend Barry Sanders, widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs in NFL history, tossed his two cents in on the return of Rob Gronkowski to the NFL alongside his longtime running mate Tom Brady in Tampa Bay.
Tell @TomBrady I am flattered but not planning on coming back to play… I am hoping to get a @Lions away game at the @Buccaneers before HE retires.
— Barry Sanders (@BarrySanders) April 22, 2020
As everyone can see, Barry Sanders was responding to a facetious tweet about various NFL legends returning to the league and playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who signed Brady and have now acquired one of his favorite receiving targets of all time in the same offseason.
Despite exhortations from fans, Sanders refused the idea of returning to the NFL – though that didn’t stop him from noting that he will definitely be in attendance for a Lions away game in Tampa Bay in what is sure to be a fascinating season for both teams in 2020.
Rob Gronkowski retired after the 2018 season, in which the Patriots won yet another Super Bowl (Gronk’s second). He had been an NFL analyst during the 2019 season before being called back by the siren song of Brady’s rings.
Retiring after only nine seasons seemed rather premature for the highly productive tight end, but Sanders would know something about ending careers on your own terms. The Lions legend retired after 10 seasons in the league at age 30 after compiling over 15,000 yards and almost 100 touchdowns in 153 career games.
Sanders never rushed for less than 1100 yards in a single season, and he eclipsed 1500 yards in five of his decade-long stint with the Lions in the league.
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