The Detroit Lions have been members of the National Football League since 1930, and won four league championships before the Super Bowl was introduced, including three in a six-year run in the 1950s. The Lions also have won four division championships, three in the NFC Central, and have made 15 playoff appearances in their history. But their real glory days will always point to one player Barry Sanders.
Sanders is one of the more interesting characters the league has ever seen. It's hard to argue that he wasn't the greatest running back the league has ever seen. He had amazing speed and incredible balance. It seemed, at times, that he couldn't be tackled. He abruptly ended his career in 1999 at the age of 31. Many think it was because he was on the verge of destroying Walter Payton's all-time rushing yards record. In his rookie season, he was 10 yards away from being the league's leading rusher in the 4th quarter of a blowout of the Atlanta Falcons. Instead of stepping in to get the rushing crown he took himself out of the game and let Christian Okoye win it. Many people think that he just liked football and didn't love it. So he didn't want to take a record away from someone who whole-heartedly loved the game.
The Lions would kill for Sanders to still be around on the field. The team hasn't been very good since he left. The team has been plagued by terrible front office decisions by General Manager Matt Millen. The team is coached by Rod Marinelli and they hope he can take them to the playoffs once again.
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