Barry Sanders reveals what life was like with the 1990s Lions as he finally discusses retirement – Marca
A new documentary about Barry Sanders is making waves in the NFL world, as the former Detroit Lions running back has finally spoken out regarding his shocking 1999 retirement from football.
Sanders remains recognized as one of the greatest running backs in NFL history and rushed for more than 15,000 yards despite playing only 10 seasons — all with Detroit. He was named the NFL’s MVP in 1997 and won the Offensive Player of the Year award twice while rushing for at least 1,500 yards in a season five times.
Sanders: My passion for playing football was gone
Speaking during the new Prime Video documentary, “Bye Bye Barry“, Sanders said he no longer felt a burning passion to play football after 1998 — and the Lions‘ struggles to build a championship contender were a significant factor in his early retirement.
“For me, just that thing that drove me to play, which is that passion, just wasn’t there,” Sanders explained. “There was nothing really left to play for.”
Sanders wowed fans with his supernatural speed and agility, but Detroit never built a winner around him. The Lions won one playoff game in Sanders’ 10 NFL seasons, and Detroit lost every one of the final five playoff matchups Sanders played in — including a 1993 NFC Wild Card meeting with the Green Bay Packers, which the Lions lost 28-24 despite Sanders’ 169 rushing yards.
I didn’t see us as any kind of a serious Super Bowl contender.
Sanders has been immortalized in Detroit with a statue outside Ford Field
Detroit Lions unveil Barry Sanders statue
Former Lions QB rants about documentary: ‘F**k you all’
One former Lion believes he has been scapegoated for Detroit‘s inability to win meaningfully during Sanders‘ prime — and the Prime Video documentary cemented it in this player’s mind.
Scott Mitchell, who was Detroit’s quarterback between 1994 and 1998 — half of Sanders’ career — was upset at his portrayal in “Bye Bye Barry.” He took to Facebook after watching the documentary and slammed his critics — specifically, Detroit natives Jeff Daniels and Eminem — for saying he wasn’t a good enough quarterback to match Sanders’ ambitions.
“I was Barry Sanders’ teammate for five years,” Mitchell wrote. “I had a front row seat to some of the most amazing plays in NFL history. He will never have an equal as a pure runner in the NFL.
“However, I am so tired of hearing how I was the reason that Barry Sanders never won a Super Bowl. I’m so tired of hearing how I was not a good QB. My only response is F**K YOU ALL,” Mitchell continued. “That includes Eminem (and) Jeff Daniels.”
Mitchell went on to say that all Lions players and personnel shared some responsibility for failing to bring a championship to Detroit — and that even included the subject of the documentary.
We all are to blame for not winning a (Super Bowl) in Detroit, even Barry Sanders.
