After a college football season in which he broke 13 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) records and won the Heisman Trophy (as the best player in college football), Sanders won the NFL's Rookie of the Year award. He won the NFL's rushing title four times (1990,1994, 1996, and 1997) and has been named to the NFL All-Pro (all-star) team in every one of his professional seasons.

Sanders had the best season of his career in 1997, rushing for 2053 yards. In reaching the 2,000 yard plateau, he became only the third player to do so in a single season and the first since O. J. Simpson to rush for 2,000 yards in a span of 14 consecutive games. He was the first running back to rush for 1,500 yards in five seasons and the only one to do it four consecutive years. At the end of the season, Sanders shared the Associated Press's NFL Most Valuable Player Award with Green Bay QB Brett Favre.

Despite his individual success, the Lions never reached the Super Bowl while Sanders was with the team.

Football, Kansas, Michigan, Christian Athletes, Faith & Religion,