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https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...l-history-playing-five-more-years/1806199001/
How Barry Sanders could have changed Lions and NFL history by playing five more seasons
What if Barry Sanders had played five more seasons, until age 35?
It's a tempting question, not least because in that alternate reality, this century of Detroit Lions football might have looked completely different.
He would be the NFL's all-time rushing yards leader. He'd be in the top five in rushing touchdowns and certainly have more of an argument for "Greatest Of All Time." (Sorry, Tom Brady.)
Oh, and most importantly, the Matt Millen era might have been completely avoided.
Sanders played 10 phenomenal years. The running back retired from his Hall of Fame career at age 30, seemingly with something left in the tank. So it begs the question: What would he have done if he'd stuck around?
Sanders now ranks third all-time with 15,269 rushing yards. His 99 rushing touchdowns are 10th all-time.
The Detroit Free Press used the following methodology for calculating a fair assumption for Sanders’ performance over the imaginary final five years of his career: Take the average of his last two seasons and subtract 10 percent from his rushing yards per year, and go down one score each year beginning with seven.
Here’s what could have (would have?) happened if Sanders played five more NFL seasons.
Barry! Barry! Barry!
Our projection for Barry Sanders' rushing and touchdown totals if he continued to play for the Lions for five more seasons.
1999
Still in his prime, Sanders’ 1,342 yards wouldn’t move him up the all-time yards leaderboard. He’d still be in third, 115 yards behind Walter Payton’s 16,726.
Seven rushing touchdowns, though, would jump Sanders to fifth all-time. Right now, Adrian Peterson and Jim Brown are tied at 106.
The Lions qualified for the playoffs at 8-8 in their first season without Sanders. They fell 27-13 to Washington in the wild-card round. In that game, Cory Schlesinger started at tailback. It's fair to say Sanders would have made a difference.
2000
A 32-year-old Sanders would have rushed for 1,208 yards, putting him at No. 1 all time. But the 17,819 yards is less than what Emmitt Smith finished his career with in 2004.
Six touchdowns puts him two scores ahead of Payton for sole possession of fourth place
The Lions went 9-7 in 2000, missing the playoffs by one game when Bears kicker Paul Edinger hit a 54-yard field goal with two seconds left. Coach Bobby Ross, often blamed for Sanders' departure, had quit midseason and was replaced with Gary Moeller. Three of the Lions' seven losses, including that finale, were decided by a single score. James Stewart put up a solid 1,184 rushing yards on the year, but it's tough not to think that Sanders couldn't have put the Lions over the top in one of those games and gotten them into the postseason.
If they make the playoffs, perhaps the team never hires Millen after the season.
2001
Sanders' final 1,000-yard rushing season would come here, but in his 13th year, his 1,087 yards would have been the 14th-best in the league. After beating Smith, who rushed for 1,021 yards, Sanders would have widened his hold on the NFL’s career rushing record.
The 2001 season was horrendous for Detroit under Millen and first-time head coach Marty Mornhinweg. The Lions started 0-12, including an NFL-record nine consecutive losses by eight points or less. Stewart managed just 685 yards on the ground. Sanders could have made a difference in a few of those games, but that collection of talent was still likely destined for the bottom of the NFC Central. Even a couple of Barry-powered wins probably wouldn't have stopped the Lions from taking Joey Harrington, considering the next QB taken in the 2002 draft (Patrick Ramsey) went 32nd to Washington.
2002
Even Sanders wouldn't have changed much for the '02 Lions. They were in rebuild mode with Harrington in his rookie year, and a 34-year-old Sanders is not the veteran star the Lions need to groom him. Sanders churns out 978 yards. Fans still flock to the new Ford Field, but also because it may be Sanders' final year. His status and Harrington’s struggles are the story of a 3-13 season. The bright spot comes in the offseason when Sanders gives plenty of notice, formally announcing that 2003 will be his final season.
2003
Detroit, still in rebuild mode, brought in former 49ers coach Steve Mariucci. What seemed like a smart decision was followed by a disastrous one: Drafting wide receiver Charles Rogers with the second overall pick. Expected to open up the offense, Rogers broke his collarbone five games into his rookie year and would later be suspended for drug use. Sanders, without his breakaway speed, is unable to reach 1,000 yards or get the Lions to the playoffs, but in his final game against the Rams, Sanders leads Detroit to a win after rushing for 880 yards in the season.
Sanders being carried into the locker room by teammates is the lasting image of the 5-11 season. And his 20,764 rushing yards is far and away the most in NFL history. Despite an ongoing Super Bowl drought, Lions fans are at least able to revel in their 15 years with the league's best running back, and their chance to say good-bye the right way.
How Barry Sanders could have changed Lions and NFL history by playing five more seasons
What if Barry Sanders had played five more seasons, until age 35?
It's a tempting question, not least because in that alternate reality, this century of Detroit Lions football might have looked completely different.
He would be the NFL's all-time rushing yards leader. He'd be in the top five in rushing touchdowns and certainly have more of an argument for "Greatest Of All Time." (Sorry, Tom Brady.)
Oh, and most importantly, the Matt Millen era might have been completely avoided.
Sanders played 10 phenomenal years. The running back retired from his Hall of Fame career at age 30, seemingly with something left in the tank. So it begs the question: What would he have done if he'd stuck around?
Sanders now ranks third all-time with 15,269 rushing yards. His 99 rushing touchdowns are 10th all-time.
The Detroit Free Press used the following methodology for calculating a fair assumption for Sanders’ performance over the imaginary final five years of his career: Take the average of his last two seasons and subtract 10 percent from his rushing yards per year, and go down one score each year beginning with seven.
Here’s what could have (would have?) happened if Sanders played five more NFL seasons.
Barry! Barry! Barry!
Our projection for Barry Sanders' rushing and touchdown totals if he continued to play for the Lions for five more seasons.
1999
Still in his prime, Sanders’ 1,342 yards wouldn’t move him up the all-time yards leaderboard. He’d still be in third, 115 yards behind Walter Payton’s 16,726.
Seven rushing touchdowns, though, would jump Sanders to fifth all-time. Right now, Adrian Peterson and Jim Brown are tied at 106.
The Lions qualified for the playoffs at 8-8 in their first season without Sanders. They fell 27-13 to Washington in the wild-card round. In that game, Cory Schlesinger started at tailback. It's fair to say Sanders would have made a difference.
2000
A 32-year-old Sanders would have rushed for 1,208 yards, putting him at No. 1 all time. But the 17,819 yards is less than what Emmitt Smith finished his career with in 2004.
Six touchdowns puts him two scores ahead of Payton for sole possession of fourth place
The Lions went 9-7 in 2000, missing the playoffs by one game when Bears kicker Paul Edinger hit a 54-yard field goal with two seconds left. Coach Bobby Ross, often blamed for Sanders' departure, had quit midseason and was replaced with Gary Moeller. Three of the Lions' seven losses, including that finale, were decided by a single score. James Stewart put up a solid 1,184 rushing yards on the year, but it's tough not to think that Sanders couldn't have put the Lions over the top in one of those games and gotten them into the postseason.
If they make the playoffs, perhaps the team never hires Millen after the season.
2001
Sanders' final 1,000-yard rushing season would come here, but in his 13th year, his 1,087 yards would have been the 14th-best in the league. After beating Smith, who rushed for 1,021 yards, Sanders would have widened his hold on the NFL’s career rushing record.
The 2001 season was horrendous for Detroit under Millen and first-time head coach Marty Mornhinweg. The Lions started 0-12, including an NFL-record nine consecutive losses by eight points or less. Stewart managed just 685 yards on the ground. Sanders could have made a difference in a few of those games, but that collection of talent was still likely destined for the bottom of the NFC Central. Even a couple of Barry-powered wins probably wouldn't have stopped the Lions from taking Joey Harrington, considering the next QB taken in the 2002 draft (Patrick Ramsey) went 32nd to Washington.
2002
Even Sanders wouldn't have changed much for the '02 Lions. They were in rebuild mode with Harrington in his rookie year, and a 34-year-old Sanders is not the veteran star the Lions need to groom him. Sanders churns out 978 yards. Fans still flock to the new Ford Field, but also because it may be Sanders' final year. His status and Harrington’s struggles are the story of a 3-13 season. The bright spot comes in the offseason when Sanders gives plenty of notice, formally announcing that 2003 will be his final season.
2003
Detroit, still in rebuild mode, brought in former 49ers coach Steve Mariucci. What seemed like a smart decision was followed by a disastrous one: Drafting wide receiver Charles Rogers with the second overall pick. Expected to open up the offense, Rogers broke his collarbone five games into his rookie year and would later be suspended for drug use. Sanders, without his breakaway speed, is unable to reach 1,000 yards or get the Lions to the playoffs, but in his final game against the Rams, Sanders leads Detroit to a win after rushing for 880 yards in the season.
Sanders being carried into the locker room by teammates is the lasting image of the 5-11 season. And his 20,764 rushing yards is far and away the most in NFL history. Despite an ongoing Super Bowl drought, Lions fans are at least able to revel in their 15 years with the league's best running back, and their chance to say good-bye the right way.
