Barry Sanders

10 Most Exclusive "Clubs" in Sports [1]

Athlon Sports looks at athletes who have accomplished rare feats in sports

Sports are filled with statistics that uber-nerds and casual fans alike can enjoy. Numbers and records help fans define greatness and settle arguments on talk radio and at the local watering holes on a daily basis.

Who is the greatest quarterback of all-time? What about running back? How about Jordan vs. Kobe? Ruth vs. Aaron? Tiger vs. Jack?

COMMENTS

10 Greatest Players Never to Play in a Super Bowl [43]

Barry Sanders, Deacon Jones, Dick Butkus and LaDainian Tomlinson never played in the Super Bowl.

Being a future Hall of Famer does not guarantee a trip to the Super Bowl. In fact, many of the game’s greatest players never took the field with the Vince Lombardi Trophy on the line. This year, Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed will finally end his Super Sunday drought against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII [54]. But these all-time greats were not so lucky.

COMMENTS

Calvin Johnson Breaks Jerry Rice's Single-Season Receiving Yards Record [55]

Seemingly half-man, half-machine, Megatron is aiming to become the first 2,000-yard receiver ever.

COMMENTS

8 Memorable Thanksgiving Moments for the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions [62]

The Dallas Cowboys' Leon Lett was a Thanksgiving Day turkey in the snow back in 1993.

Just like the crazy uncle with the nonstop inappropriate jokes or the aunt with the barely edible green bean casserole, the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys are welcome additions to the holiday family gathering even though they will probably provide an awkward moment or two.

Here are a few of the noteworthy Thanksgiving Day memories from the Lions, whose first Turkey Day game was in 1934, and Cowboys, who first sat at the table in 1966.

COMMENTS

10 Greatest NFL Rookie Seasons of All-Time [74]

The best first-year players in NFL history, or at least since Gale Sayers was a rookie.

It's rare that a first-year player comes into the NFL and has an immediate impact on the game. But it does happen. Athlon Sports looks back at the best rookie players in NFL history, or at least since Gale Sayers took the field in 1965.

COMMENTS

13 Greatest NFL Running Back Highlight Reels [81]

Submitted by Braden Gall on Thu, 2011-11-17 07:00

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Earl Campbell, 1978-1985

1 of 14

Earl Campbell was a five-time Pro Bowler, led the NFL in rushing his first three seasons and is the only player named Campbell to make it into the NFL Hall of Fame. This compilation of Longhorns highlights [86] is equally impressive.

Career Stats: 2,187 att., 9,407 yards, 74 TD, 121 rec., 806 yards
Marshall Faulk, 1994-2005

2 of 14

Marshall Faulk was as dynamic a force in the backfield as any back in history. He began as the 1994 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Faulk went to seven Pro Bowls, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011, is fourth all-time in league history in yards from scrimmage and was the driving force behind the 1999 Super Bowl championship. His 767 catches rank 25th all-time in league history.

Career Stats: 2,836 att., 12,279 yards, 100 TD, 767 rec., 6,875 yards, 36 TD
Gale Sayers, 1965-1971

3 of 14

Sayers needed only seven seasons to prove that he was a Hall of Famer. "The Kansas Comet" reached four Pro Bowls and saw his remarkable career cut short by knee injuries. He set NFL records for touchdowns by a rookie (22) and highest career kickoff return average (30.6).

Career Stats: 991 att., 4,956 yards, 39 TD, 112 rec., 1,307 yards, 9 TD, 91 KR, 2,781 yards, 6 TD
Emmitt Smith, 1990-2004

4 of 14

It is hard to argue with the production of the former Gator great. He is the NFL's all-time leading rusher and holds the NFL record for rushing attempts and rushing touchdowns. Smith earned eight Pro Bowls, won three Super Bowls and led the league in rushing four times.

Career Stats: 4,409 att., 18,355 yards, 164 TD, 515 rec., 3,224 yards, 11 TD
Eric Dickerson, 1983-1993

5 of 14

Dickerson led the NFL in rushing four times, went to six Pro Bowls, was the 1983 Offensive Rookie of the Year, is a member of the illustrious 2,000-yard club and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999. If you need more Pony Express, here is ED's final high school football game [87]. One word: Wow.

Career Stats: 2,996 att., 13,259 yards, 90 TD, 281 rec., 2,137 yards, 6 TD
Marcus Allen, 1982-1997

6 of 14

Longevity was the name of the game for Allen. He played until he was 37 years old and left the NFL with the most rushing touchdowns in history (123). Of course, his legendary "Running with the night [88]" - aka 17 Bob Trey O - in the Super Bowl XVIII win over Washington will never be forgotten.

Career Stats: 3,022 att., 12,243 yards, 123 TD, 587 rec., 5,411 yards, 21 TD
Adrian Peterson, 2007-Present

7 of 14

"All-Day" Peterson is the most physically gifted running back to enter the NFL since Herschel Walker or Bo Jackson. And the numbers tell that out. He was the Rookie of the Year in 2007, led the NFL in rushing in 2008 and has never rushed for fewer than 1,298 yards or 10 TD in a season. If Peterson can maintain his current pace - an NFL all-time fourth-best 94.7 yards per game - he will undoubtedly land in Canton, Ohio.

Career Stats: 1,378 att., 6,628 yards, 62 TD, 135 rec., 1,295 yards, 3 TD
O.J. Simpson, 1969-1979

8 of 14

Post-career fall from grace aside, few backs have ever run the football like Simpson. The six-time Pro Bowler was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985 and is a member of the rarified 2,000-yard club. He led the NFL in rushing four times.

Career Stats: 2,404 att., 11,236 yards, 61 TD, 203 rec., 2,142 yards, 14 TD
Walter Payton, 1975-1987

9 of 14

"Sweetness" was a nine-time Pro Bowler and was elected into the Hall fo Fame in 1993. He led the NFL in carries four straight seasons (1976-1979) and topped 300 attempts 10 times in 11 year span - something that would be unheard-of in the modern era of football. He retired as the NFL's all-time leading rusher and touched the ball 373 times during the 18-1 1985 Super Bowl Championship season.

Career Stats: 3,838 att., 16,726 yards, 110 TD, 492 rec., 4,538 yards, 15 TD
Tony Dorsett, 1977-1988

10 of 14

The four-time Pro Bowler was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994. He was the 1977 Offensive Rookie of the Year and helped lead the Cowboys to the Super Bowl XII Championship.

Career Stats: 2,936 att., 12,739 yards, 77 TD, 398 rec., 3,554 yards, 13 TD
Jim Brown, 1957-1965

11 of 14

The first of a generation, Jim Brown reset the standard for athletic ability at the running back position. His 6-2, 232-pound frame was unstoppable as he led the NFL in rushing in eight of his nine seasons. He left the NFL early to pursue his acting career but left as the single-season and career rushing leader as well as the league's all-time leader in rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns. His career average of 104.3 yards per game is still the NFL benchmark.

Career Stats: 2,359 att., 12,312 yards, 106 TD, 262 att., 2,499 yards, 20 TD

More Jim Brown Highlights [89]
LaDainian Tomlinson, 2001-Present

12 of 14

L.T. will go down as arguably the greatest running back to ever play the game when he finally hangs-up the cleats. He holds the NFL single-season TD record with 31 and he trails only Jerry Rice (208) and Emmitt Smith (175) in total career touchdowns. He is currently fourth all-time in touches (3,752), sixth all-time in rushing, fifth all-time in yards from scrimmage and will be third all-time in receptions by a running back when he passes Keith Byers' 610 (in his next game most likely).

Career Stats: 3,145 att., 13,571 yards, 145 TD, 607 rec., 4,635 yards, 16 TD
Barry Sanders, 1989-1998

13 of 14

Barry Sanders will go down as the most elusive, most difficult player to tackle in the history of the sport. He was the 1989 Rookie of the Year and the 1997 MVP. He went 10 Pro Bowls in 11 NFL seasons and never rushed for fewer than 1,115 yards. Had he not retired early, he would have likely have become the NFL's all-time leading rusher. His 2,053-yard 1997 season is third-best all-time and he led the league in rushing four times - all while playing for a team capable of winning only one playoff game over 11 years (1-5). His 99.8 yards per game rushing is No. 2 to only Jim Brown.

Career Stats: 3,062 att., 15,269 yards, 99 TD, 352 rec., 2,921 yards, 10 TD
14 of 14

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Rodgers, Manning and other NFL Pros Share Draft Day Memories [90]

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2013 NFL Mock Draft: First-Round Picks [93]

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10 Lamest Team Nicknames in Professional Sports [95]

2013 NFL Mock Draft [96]

20 Awesome Photos from Super Bowl XLVII [97]

15 Infamous Moments in Super Bowl History [98]

Athlon takes a look back at the some of the greatest runs by the game's greatest runners.

COMMENTS

Detroit Lions 4-0 For First Time Since 1980 [99]

Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions on the comeback trail after rallying to beat Dallas Cowboys.

by Nathan Rush

Finally healthy, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is leading the race for Comeback Player of the Year by leading Detroit on a series of comebacks.

COMMENTS

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[10] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/cbk-teams/ohio-bobcats
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[23] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nba-players/kareem-abdul-jabbar
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[59] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/jerry-rice
[60] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/jim-schwartz
[61] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/matt-ryan
[62] http://www.athlonsports.com/nfl/best-and-worst-thanksgiving-day-moments-dallas-cowboys-detroit-lions
[63] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/section/monthly
[64] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/brett-favre
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[66] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/jason-garrett
[67] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/jerome-bettis
[68] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/leon-lett
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[70] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/phil-luckett
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[72] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/roger-staubach
[73] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/troy-aikman
[74] http://www.athlonsports.com/nfl/top-10-nfl-rookie-seasons-all-time
[75] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/anquan-boldin
[76] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/ben-roethlisberger
[77] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/cam-newton
[78] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/edgerrin-james
[79] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/jevon-kearse
[80] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/lawrence-taylor
[81] http://www.athlonsports.com/nfl/slideshows/13-greatest-nfl-running-back-highlight-reels
[82] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/emmitt-smith
[83] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/marcus-allen
[84] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/oj-simpson
[85] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/walter-payton
[86] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRslKY04CIQ&feature=related
[87] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCBnWmGvw8w
[88] http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=tnR4AiUvlKs
[89] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6cCXNBeVfc
[90] http://www.athlonsports.com/nfl/slideshows/rodgers-manning-and-other-nfl-pros-share-draft-day-memories
[91] http://www.athlonsports.com/nfl/slideshows/11-happiest-mugshots-sports
[92] http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/slideshows/top-25-sports-ad-campaigns-all-time
[93] http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/slideshows/2013-nfl-mock-draft-first-round-picks
[94] http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/slideshows/2013-new-nfl-mock-draft
[95] http://www.athlonsports.com/nfl/slideshows/professional-sports-10-lamest-team-nicknames
[96] http://www.athlonsports.com/nfl/slideshows/2013-nfl-mock-draft
[97] http://www.athlonsports.com/nfl/slideshows/20-awesome-photos-super-bowl-xlvii
[98] http://www.athlonsports.com/nfl/slideshows/15-infamous-moments-super-bowl-history
[99] http://www.athlonsports.com/nfl/detroit-lions-4-0-first-time-1980
[100] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/bobby-layne
[101] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-players/matthew-stafford
[102] http://www.athlonsports.com/category/nfl-teams/minnesota-vikings

Barry Sanders

10 Most Exclusive "Clubs" in Sports [1]

COMMENTS

10 Greatest Players Never to Play in a Super Bowl [43]

COMMENTS

Calvin Johnson Breaks Jerry Rice's Single-Season Receiving Yards Record [55]

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8 Memorable Thanksgiving Moments for the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions [62]

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10 Greatest NFL Rookie Seasons of All-Time [74]

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13 Greatest NFL Running Back Highlight Reels [81]

Earl Campbell, 1978-1985

Marshall Faulk, 1994-2005

Gale Sayers, 1965-1971

Emmitt Smith, 1990-2004

Eric Dickerson, 1983-1993

Marcus Allen, 1982-1997

Adrian Peterson, 2007-Present

O.J. Simpson, 1969-1979

Walter Payton, 1975-1987

Tony Dorsett, 1977-1988

Jim Brown, 1957-1965

LaDainian Tomlinson, 2001-Present

Barry Sanders, 1989-1998

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Detroit Lions 4-0 For First Time Since 1980 [99]

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