When a 40,000 crowd sounds like a 70,000 crowd, you know the action on the field is phenomenal. And that’s the reaction retired Detroit Lions legend Barry Sanders gave the crowd at Silverdome at the final game during the 1997 regular season. He broke the NFL record of 2,000 yards in a single season in a game against the New York Jets.

Everyone who watched Barry Sanders during the peak of his career would wonder why on earth he would go ahead and retire in 1999 when he was just a little over 1,000 yards to beat Walter Payton’s record. But all the suspense will be revealed in the Bye Bye Barry documentary on Amazon Prime Videos. Nonetheless, Barry Sanders remains a legend not only in Detroit but in the NFL world in general.  

Barry Sanders’ legend in Detroit

After being drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1989, Barry Sanders played with the team and made an instant impression. Entering the game as a Heisman Trophy winner, the crowd was beyond excited for his show. The coach had him sit out the first half of the game, and what a great decision that was.

Stepping into the game with 10 minutes left in the third quarter, his entry was met with anticipatory cheers throughout the Silverdome. He was a beast in his first carry against the Phoenix Cardinals with 71 yards and a fishing touchdown. During his rookie season, he earned the title of NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. 

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“Ask for So Much Money”: Prime’s ‘Bye Bye Barry’ Reflects on Deion Sanders’ Honest Confession on Lions’ Draft Pick Fear

But it was the 1997 season that cemented his legacy in the NFL world. In 1997, Barry Sanders broke the NFL record at Pontiac Silverdome which served as the Lions’ home from 1975 to 2001. He finished the final game with 184 yards to become the third player in the NFL to secure 2,000 rushing yards in a single season of 14 games, after OJ Simpson and Eric Dickerson. Barry Sanders completed the season with 2,053 yards with an average of 6.1 yards per carry, marking him as one of the greatest running backs in the league.

Barry Sanders’ disappointment with the decline of the Lions front office 

Despite Barry Sanders’ tremendous success with the Lions, his unexpected exit from the league raised many questions. Barry Sanders led the Lions to the 1991 NFL Championship Game but they lost to the Washington Redskins. As someone who is focused on winning a Super Bowl for Detroit, Sanders admitted that the Lions’ knack of releasing talented players over the years didn’t fall in line with his aspirations. And everything will clear up once the documentary reaches the world.

In 1999 before training camp, Barry Sanders faxed a letter to The Wichita Eagle declaring his decision to retire from football. Following that, he left for London to escape the prying paparazzi who would pressure him to talk about his retirement. But why would he retire after ten seasons at 31 when he was regarded as one of the greatest NFL players?

Barry Sanders is a living legend who has decided to break the silence after shrouding his fans in mystery for 24 years. To know the full story behind Barry Sanders’ curious exit from the NFL, tune in to Amazon Prime Video Bye Bye Barry which is set to stream on November 21. 

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