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Widely considered one of the greatest running backs in NFL history, Barry Sanders shocked not just the Motor City but the entire sports world when he abruptly retired before the 1999 season.
Now, Sanders is finally opening up about why he stunned the Detroit Lions by announcing his retirement on the eve of training camp, a decision he conveyed through a faxed letter to The Wichita Eagle, his hometown newspaper.
Sanders made a recent appearance on the “Get Got Pod” co-hosted by Marshawn Lynch and Mike Robinson and explained that there came a certain point in his career where he just didn't feel “it” was there, via X.
“That everyday grind, all those little things you have to do to stay on top of your game. For me, when I got to 28-29, I just felt like it wasn’t there,” Sanders said. “Also, things going on with the team. I felt like we were kind of rebuilding, there was no need to stay around. I had pretty much-done everything besides win a Super Bowl.”
“Being that we were kind of rebuilding, I didn’t really see that in my sights. That drive, that passion I always had, it just you know, wasn’t there in the same way. I need to be somewhere else on Sunday if my mind and heart really isn’t there.”
Sanders left the game after amassing 15,269 rushing yards and 99 rushing touchdowns in his 10 NFL seasons, all of which were spent in Detroit.
Barry Sanders issues a plea to the current Detroit Lions
The current edition of the team is nothing like the mostly hapless Lions squads that Sanders played for during his career. Detroit is a legitimate Super Bowl contender, even without the services of star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.
And their success this season hasn't gone unnoticed by Sanders, who believes the time is now for the franchise to finally win their first ever Super Bowl.
“It has to be, it has to be absolutely,” Sanders said about Detroit's championship prospects this season. “In this game, nothing is promised. You look at going back three years ago just how they’ve slowly just build and constructed this roster offensively and defensively.”
“Every year, they’ve added a few more wins, and two years ago going into Green Bay, Green Bay had a chance to go to the playoffs. We were knocked out, but we were still fighting for respectability. Then last year come back, NFC Championship game, we don’t have to go through the details of that game and how we were in command at halftime.”
The Lions trail only the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs in betting odds to win their first title in franchise history.
