Running Back,
Detroit
Age: 21
College: Oklahoma
State
Height: 5’8” Weight: 203
Prelude:
Following a sensational
Heisman-winning season as a junior in which he rushed for 2628 yards and scored
39 touchdowns, Sanders chose to forego his last year of eligibility and turn
pro. He was taken by the Lions in the first round of the 1989 NFL draft (third
overall) and while a contract holdout lasted through the preseason, he quickly
established himself as a key component in the offense.
1989 Season Summary
Appeared in 15
of 16 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Rushing
Attempts – 280
[7]
Most
attempts, game - 30 (for 184 yds.) at Green Bay 10/29
Yards – 1470 [2, 1st in NFC]
Most yards,
game – 184 yards (on 30 carries) at Green Bay 10/29
Average gain
– 5.3 [4]
TDs – 14 [2,
tied with Ottis Anderson]
100-yard
rushing games – 7
Pass
Receiving
Receptions – 24
Most
receptions, game – 6 (for 96 yds.) at NY Giants 9/17
Yards – 282
Most yards,
game - 96 (on 6 catches) at NY Giants 9/17
Average gain
– 11.8
TDs – 0
Kickoff
Returns
Returns – 5
Yards – 118
Average per
return – 23.6
TDs – 0
Longest
return – 43 yards
All-purpose
yards – 1870 [2, 1st in NFC]
Scoring
TDs – 14 [5,
tied with Ottis Anderson]
Points – 84
Awards & Honors:
NFL Rookie of
the Year: NEA, Sporting News
NFL Offensive
Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA
NFC Rookie of
the Year: UPI
1st
team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News
2nd
team All-NFL: NEA
1st
team All-NFC: UPI, Pro Football Weekly
Pro Bowl
Lions went 7-9
to finish third in the NFC Central while leading the NFL in yards per rushing
attempt (4.9) and rushing touchdowns (23).
Aftermath:
Sanders
followed up with a league-leading 1304 yards in 1990 and again was a first-team
All-Pro and Pro Bowl participant. He rushed for 1548 yards in 1991, garnering
MVP recognition for the first time, and maintained his excellence over a career
of ten years before abruptly retiring after the 1998 season. Sanders led the
league in ground-gaining four times, including a 2053-yard total in ’97, and
never failed to gain a thousand yards – his lowest total was 1115 in 1993, when
he missed five games due to injury, his only extended loss of playing time. He
made up for lack of size with outstanding elusiveness and running instincts. Sanders
was selected for the Pro Bowl following all ten seasons, was a consensus first-team
All-Pro six times, and with his exciting, often-improvisational running style
was a highlight film regular. He retired with 15,269 rushing yards and scored a
total of 109 touchdowns. Sanders was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of
Fame, Class of 2004.
--
Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie
of the Year in the NFL (including NFC/AFC), AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by
a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper
Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the
league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year).
[Updated 11/29/14]
[Updated 11/29/14]
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