The stories behind NFL legends you've never heard. Told in their own words. Not affiliated with the NFL
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THE BARRY FILES
Barry Sanders' career, in his own words.
The kid nobody recruited. The rookie who turned down a rushing title. The legend who walked away at 31.
Every file below, in order.
TelronX | NFL retweeted
Barry Sanders’ dad refused to shake his college coach’s hand.
Barry Files #10 · Part 1
So Barry did something he had never done before.
In the video below, Barry reveals the day he went against his father…
Barry grew up in Wichita, Kansas, one of 11 kids. His dad William was a roofer, and the toughest critic Barry ever had.
In his senior year of high school, Barry got only two college offers. Tulsa and Oklahoma State.
His dad wanted Tulsa, because Barry could start there right away.
At Oklahoma State, he would have to sit behind an All-American running back named Thurman Thomas.
Barry picked Oklahoma State anyway.
The morning the coach came to their house to sign him, his dad wouldn’t shake the man’s hand. He said his son was making a mistake and walked out.
And there was one more problem. William Sanders was a lifelong Oklahoma fan. Oklahoma State is their biggest rival.
His son had just picked the other side.
Barry was 17. It was the first time he had ever said no to his father.
Was his dad right?
This is Barry Files #10. Part 2 is tomorrow. The first nine are below:
#10 part1. He was 17 when he said no to his father for the first time. His dad wouldn't even shake the coach's hand. Part 1.
xitter.cf/Telronx/status/2119137…
Barry Sanders’ dad refused to shake his college coach’s hand.
Barry Files #10 · Part 1
So Barry did something he had never done before.
In the video below, Barry reveals the day he went against his father…
Barry grew up in Wichita, Kansas, one of 11 kids. His dad William was a roofer, and the toughest critic Barry ever had.
In his senior year of high school, Barry got only two college offers. Tulsa and Oklahoma State.
His dad wanted Tulsa, because Barry could start there right away.
At Oklahoma State, he would have to sit behind an All-American running back named Thurman Thomas.
Barry picked Oklahoma State anyway.
The morning the coach came to their house to sign him, his dad wouldn’t shake the man’s hand. He said his son was making a mistake and walked out.
And there was one more problem. William Sanders was a lifelong Oklahoma fan. Oklahoma State is their biggest rival.
His son had just picked the other side.
Barry was 17. It was the first time he had ever said no to his father.
Was his dad right?
This is Barry Files #10. Part 2 is tomorrow. The first nine are below:
#9 Emmitt Smith broke his rushing record. Barry's answer: let it go.
xitter.cf/Telronx/status/2118775…
Emmitt Smith broke the NFL rushing record in 2002.
So people said it should have been Barry’s.
In the video below, Barry reveals what he felt watching Emmitt break it, and Emmitt answers the debate himself.
Here’s why people still argue about it. Barry retired in 1999, when he was still one of the best players in the league. If he had kept playing, most people believe the record would be his today.
Emmitt played 15 seasons and finished with 18,355 yards. Barry played only 10 and still had 15,269.
Some people close to Barry say he could have reached 25,000 yards. One of them even says Emmitt was happy Barry quit, because it cleared the way for him.
Emmitt has heard all of it. His answer is simple: he’s done playing, Barry is done playing, and it’s time to let it go.
Honestly, it’s kind of great. Two of the best running backs ever, and neither of them wants to argue about it. The fans do that for them.
This is Barry Files #9. More are coming. The first eight are below⏬
Barry Sanders’ dad refused to shake his college coach’s hand.
Barry Files #10 · Part 1
So Barry did something he had never done before.
In the video below, Barry reveals the day he went against his father…
Barry grew up in Wichita, Kansas, one of 11 kids. His dad William was a roofer, and the toughest critic Barry ever had.
In his senior year of high school, Barry got only two college offers. Tulsa and Oklahoma State.
His dad wanted Tulsa, because Barry could start there right away.
At Oklahoma State, he would have to sit behind an All-American running back named Thurman Thomas.
Barry picked Oklahoma State anyway.
The morning the coach came to their house to sign him, his dad wouldn’t shake the man’s hand. He said his son was making a mistake and walked out.
And there was one more problem. William Sanders was a lifelong Oklahoma fan. Oklahoma State is their biggest rival.
His son had just picked the other side.
Barry was 17. It was the first time he had ever said no to his father.
Was his dad right?
This is Barry Files #10. Part 2 is tomorrow. The first nine are below:
TelronX | NFL retweeted
Emmitt Smith broke the NFL rushing record in 2002.
So people said it should have been Barry’s.
In the video below, Barry reveals what he felt watching Emmitt break it, and Emmitt answers the debate himself.
Here’s why people still argue about it. Barry retired in 1999, when he was still one of the best players in the league. If he had kept playing, most people believe the record would be his today.
Emmitt played 15 seasons and finished with 18,355 yards. Barry played only 10 and still had 15,269.
Some people close to Barry say he could have reached 25,000 yards. One of them even says Emmitt was happy Barry quit, because it cleared the way for him.
Emmitt has heard all of it. His answer is simple: he’s done playing, Barry is done playing, and it’s time to let it go.
Honestly, it’s kind of great. Two of the best running backs ever, and neither of them wants to argue about it. The fans do that for them.
This is Barry Files #9. More are coming. The first eight are below⏬
Emmitt Smith broke the NFL rushing record in 2002.
So people said it should have been Barry’s.
In the video below, Barry reveals what he felt watching Emmitt break it, and Emmitt answers the debate himself.
Here’s why people still argue about it. Barry retired in 1999, when he was still one of the best players in the league. If he had kept playing, most people believe the record would be his today.
Emmitt played 15 seasons and finished with 18,355 yards. Barry played only 10 and still had 15,269.
Some people close to Barry say he could have reached 25,000 yards. One of them even says Emmitt was happy Barry quit, because it cleared the way for him.
Emmitt has heard all of it. His answer is simple: he’s done playing, Barry is done playing, and it’s time to let it go.
Honestly, it’s kind of great. Two of the best running backs ever, and neither of them wants to argue about it. The fans do that for them.
This is Barry Files #9. More are coming. The first eight are below⏬
Joe Montana asked to play with Barry Sanders in Detroit. The Lions told him no.
He had four Super Bowl rings. And he called the Lions coach himself.
The front office turned him down in two words.
In the video below, Barry repeats exactly what they said.
It was 1993. Montana was leaving San Francisco and wanted one more shot with the best runner in football.
Wayne Fontes took it upstairs. He came back with the answer and had to tell Montana no.
Montana went to Kansas City instead. That same season, he took the Chiefs to the AFC Championship Game.
The best quarterback of his generation and the best runner alive could have shared a backfield. Detroit passed over a birth certificate.
On today’s market, Montana’s deal would be worth about $45 million a year. Barry’s, about $42 million. Detroit could have had both. What they really made is in the article below.
Barry Sanders walked away with Walter Payton’s rushing record in reach.
So people said he didn’t want to break it.
In the video below, Barry reveals why the record wasn’t worth staying for.
He was 31. He had just run for 1,491 yards. He needed 1,457 more.
Barry knew exactly who Walter Payton was. He just didn’t want the record badly enough to stay.
And the record wasn’t the only thing he left behind. Two years earlier, Detroit had made him the highest-paid player in the NFL.
Here’s what that contract would be worth today ⬇️
#7 He retired with one fax. Then the Lions wanted $7.37 million back.
xitter.cf/Telronx/status/2118075…
Joe Montana asked to play with Barry Sanders in Detroit. The Lions told him no.
He had four Super Bowl rings. And he called the Lions coach himself.
The front office turned him down in two words.
In the video below, Barry repeats exactly what they said.
It was 1993. Montana was leaving San Francisco and wanted one more shot with the best runner in football.
Wayne Fontes took it upstairs. He came back with the answer and had to tell Montana no.
Montana went to Kansas City instead. That same season, he took the Chiefs to the AFC Championship Game.
The best quarterback of his generation and the best runner alive could have shared a backfield. Detroit passed over a birth certificate.
On today’s market, Montana’s deal would be worth about $45 million a year. Barry’s, about $42 million. Detroit could have had both. What they really made is in the article below.
#8 At his Hall of Fame induction, his own father's speech made him apologize.
xitter.cf/Telronx/status/2118441…
Barry Sanders walked away with Walter Payton’s rushing record in reach.
So people said he didn’t want to break it.
In the video below, Barry reveals why the record wasn’t worth staying for.
He was 31. He had just run for 1,491 yards. He needed 1,457 more.
Barry knew exactly who Walter Payton was. He just didn’t want the record badly enough to stay.
And the record wasn’t the only thing he left behind. Two years earlier, Detroit had made him the highest-paid player in the NFL.
Here’s what that contract would be worth today ⬇️
TelronX | NFL retweeted
Barry Sanders walked away with Walter Payton’s rushing record in reach.
So people said he didn’t want to break it.
In the video below, Barry reveals why the record wasn’t worth staying for.
He was 31. He had just run for 1,491 yards. He needed 1,457 more.
Barry knew exactly who Walter Payton was. He just didn’t want the record badly enough to stay.
And the record wasn’t the only thing he left behind. Two years earlier, Detroit had made him the highest-paid player in the NFL.
Here’s what that contract would be worth today ⬇️
