‘Time to heal’ – The real reason Barry Sanders repaired broken relationship with Detroit Lions
The Lions are playing for Detroit and a legion of supporters scattered across America. But the top seed in the NFC is also playing to honor past greats who never reached a 15-2 record or No. 1 playoff seed. AFPBarry Sanders was ahead of the curve with the Detroit Lions[/caption] Topping the list of ex-Lions is Barry Sanders. He was one of the greatest running backs of all-time, earning 10 Pro Bowl honors and winning the 1997 NFL MVP. Yet an abrupt retirement in 1999 at the age of 31 initially cut Sanders off from Lions fans and the franchise. “The reason I am retiring is very simple,” Sanders said in a statement. “My desire to exit the game is greater than my desire to remain in it.” Twenty-six years later, Detroit is two wins away from reaching its first Super Bowl, while Sanders has reconnected with Dan Campbell’s resilient team and its fiery supporters. The 56-year-old Sanders has formed a unique bond with current Detroit running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who ran for 139 yards and scored four touchdowns on the night that the Lions locked up a first-round bye and home-field advantage until the Super Bowl. With his four TDs, Gibbs matched Sanders in Detroit’s record book while one of his football idols was in the same building. “I went up to him (Gibbs) in the locker room … and I was just like, ‘Hey, I know how much of a big Barry Sanders fan you are,’ ” Eric Woodyard, Detroit Lions beat writer for ESPN, exclusively told talkSPORT.“Gibbs was like a little kid in the locker room, just saying, ‘Hey, that meant a lot.’ “ Sanders walked away from the NFL at the peak of his powersGetty GettyHe’s been reinvigorated by Detroit’s success in recent years[/caption] GettySanders’ friendship with Jahmyr Gibbs has paid off for Detroit’s top running back[/caption] Sanders ran for 15,269 yards and 99 TDs during a 10-year career. He rushed for1,470 yards as a rookie and broke the 2,000-yard mark in 1997. Sanders only played for the Lions, who regularly underachieved despite having one of the best players in the NFL. It took years of understanding and healing for Sanders to become publicly linked with Detroit’s franchise again. “Barry’s not really a vocal guy,” Woodyard said. “But I know if Gibbs needs him, he could probably talk to him. … Justto see him around, I think that’s just been really big for Gibbs. “What it took to get Barry back, I think it just took time. “I mean a lot of people were bitter towards him the way he left the game here in Michigan, and I think it took time from him and it took time from the organization.” Detroit hosts Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders on Saturday in an NFC Divisional Round playoff game. In another full-circle moment for Sanders, he was linked with a potential trade to the then-Washington Redskins before leaving the NFL in 1999. Sanders already has an 8-foot statue outside Ford Field, and he’s joined Eminem as one of the Lions’ biggest supporters in recent years. “Lions fans are excited,” Sanders exclusively told talkSPORT last year. “We’ve been waiting for this sort of a team for many, many years now. We’ve seen it building the last few seasons but this is exactly what we hoped for.” Woodyard described the 2024 Lions, who’ve overcome injury after injury, as a “perfect storm.” Sanders is watching his old team try to go where it’s never been before. “I think it comes from coach Campbell,” Sanders said. “I think that he’s very serious about the business of football and about his team, come hell or high water, coming out and and giving their best effort.” Sanders is also proudly watching a young Lions running back who grew up admiring No. 20 run everywhere Detroit. “They put up the statue of him (Sanders) last year,” Woodyard said. “He became the first Lions player to get a statue and I think they’re finally honoring that past and respecting what he was able to do. “It just took a while for the organization to kind of heal from the way he left the game and retired abruptly. “I think it just it’s just perfect time. It’s the best time in franchise history. “Why not bring back the best player in franchise history? And he’s just embracing it with open arms.” Follow talkSPORT NFL on Facebook Follow our talkSPORT NFL page on Facebook for the latest breaking NFL news, exclusive video interviews, and the biggest talking points from around the league. Our dedicated NFL YouTube channel ‘End Zone’ will also keep you across the very latest NFL news with exclusive access and our weekly ‘Rundown’ review show.
The Lions are playing for Detroit and a legion of supporters scattered across America.
But the top seed in the NFC is also playing to honor past greats who never reached a 15-2 record or No. 1 playoff seed.
Topping the list of ex-Lions is Barry Sanders.
He was one of the greatest running backs of all-time, earning 10 Pro Bowl honors and winning the 1997 NFL MVP.
Yet an abrupt retirement in 1999 at the age of 31 initially cut Sanders off from Lions fans and the franchise.
“The reason I am retiring is very simple,” Sanders said in a statement.
“My desire to exit the game is greater than my desire to remain in it.”
Twenty-six years later, Detroit is two wins away from reaching its first Super Bowl, while Sanders has reconnected with Dan Campbell’s resilient team and its fiery supporters.
The 56-year-old Sanders has formed a unique bond with current Detroit running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who ran for 139 yards and scored four touchdowns on the night that the Lions locked up a first-round bye and home-field advantage until the Super Bowl.
With his four TDs, Gibbs matched Sanders in Detroit’s record book while one of his football idols was in the same building.
“I went up to him (Gibbs) in the locker room … and I was just like, ‘Hey, I know how much of a big Barry Sanders fan you are,’ ” Eric Woodyard, Detroit Lions beat writer for ESPN, exclusively told talkSPORT.
“Gibbs was like a little kid in the locker room, just saying, ‘Hey, that meant a lot.’ “
Sanders ran for 15,269 yards and 99 TDs during a 10-year career.
He rushed for1,470 yards as a rookie and broke the 2,000-yard mark in 1997.
Sanders only played for the Lions, who regularly underachieved despite having one of the best players in the NFL.
It took years of understanding and healing for Sanders to become publicly linked with Detroit’s franchise again.
“Barry’s not really a vocal guy,” Woodyard said.
“But I know if Gibbs needs him, he could probably talk to him. … Just
to see him around, I think that’s just been really big for Gibbs.
“What it took to get Barry back, I think it just took time.
“I mean a lot of people were bitter towards him the way he left the game here in Michigan, and I think it took time from him and it took time from the organization.”
Detroit hosts Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders on Saturday in an NFC Divisional Round playoff game.
In another full-circle moment for Sanders, he was linked with a potential trade to the then-Washington Redskins before leaving the NFL in 1999.
Sanders already has an 8-foot statue outside Ford Field, and he’s joined Eminem as one of the Lions’ biggest supporters in recent years.
“Lions fans are excited,” Sanders exclusively told talkSPORT last year.
“We’ve been waiting for this sort of a team for many, many years now. We’ve seen it building the last few seasons but this is exactly what we hoped for.”
Woodyard described the 2024 Lions, who’ve overcome injury after injury, as a “perfect storm.”
Sanders is watching his old team try to go where it’s never been before.
“I think it comes from coach Campbell,” Sanders said.
“I think that he’s very serious about the business of football and about his team, come hell or high water, coming out and and giving their best effort.”
Sanders is also proudly watching a young Lions running back who grew up admiring No. 20 run everywhere Detroit.
“They put up the statue of him (Sanders) last year,” Woodyard said.
“He became the first Lions player to get a statue and I think they’re finally honoring that past and respecting what he was able to do.
“It just took a while for the organization to kind of heal from the way he left the game and retired abruptly.
“I think it just it’s just perfect time. It’s the best time in franchise history.
“Why not bring back the best player in franchise history? And he’s just embracing it with open arms.”
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