Widely considered one of the greatest football players to ever grace the gridiron, Barry Sanders made the stunning decision to walk away from football after 10 seasons with the Detroit Lions. The unexpected development is still considered the most shocking retirement in NFL history.
Sanders was a dual threat out of the backfield for Detroit, capable of taking over a game as a rusher or a receiver. But one thing the 10-time Pro Bowler didn’t do was celebrate his success. Sanders became known for simply handing the ball to the referee after a touchdown, regardless of how sensational the score happened to be.
Sanders’ lack of post-play theatrics even caught the attention of his teammates. And former Lions quarterback Rodney Peete recently explained the extent of the Hall of Fame running back’s humility.
“Obviously, you know, he never spiked [the ball after scoring]. Always gave it to the ref. To the point where we would take up collections for Barry to do something in the end zone when he scored. And he wouldn't take it. It got up to $10,000 at one point. The team would take up collections to give to Barry if he did a dance or did something demonstrative in the end zone,” Peete said on the Rich Eisen show.
Lions players encouraged a Barry Sanders touchdown dance

“He was absolutely unbelievable…I mean he was so humble you thought it was an act, right? You know, and never wanted to take credit,” Peete noted.
Peete was with the Lions for Sanders’ first five seasons in the league. The QB watched as the All-Pro rusher became an elite force in the NFL. But unlike contemporaries like Ickey Woods, Sanders simply stayed focused on football. Perhaps that was for the best as Woods became better known for his “Ickey Shuffle” celebration than for his offensive contributions.
Despite hanging up his cleats 27 years ago, Sanders’ still ranks among the greatest players of all-time. And he has a lengthy list of accolades to back up his standing. Sanders led the NFL in rushing yards four times, including a 2,053-yard campaign that earned him co-MVP honors with Brett Favre.
Sanders topped 1,000 rushing yards in each of his 10 seasons. He's fourth all-time with 15,269 career rushing yards. And he's second all-time in yards per game, behind only Jim Brown. Sanders was a six-time All-Pro and two-time Offensive Player of the Year. His college career is also the stuff of legends and his 1988 Heisman Trophy season ranks among the greatest ever.