Barry Sanders is an American former professional football running back who played for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. Sanders led the league in rushing yards four times and in rushing touchdowns once, establishing himself as one of the most elusive runners in the history of the NFL with his quickness and agility, despite being only 5 ft 8 in tall and weighing 203 lbs. Sanders played college football for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. As a junior in 1988, he compiled what is widely considered the greatest individual season by a running back in college football history, rushing for 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns in 11 games. He won the Heisman Trophy and was unanimously recognized as an All-American.
Billy Ray Sims is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons from 1980 to 1984. Sims played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners, where he was a two-time consensus All-American, and won the Heisman Trophy in 1978. He was the first overall pick in the 1980 NFL draft, selected by the Detroit Lions. After three pro-bowl selections, his career was prematurely ended by a knee injury suffered in 1984.
William McGarvey Dudley, nicknamed "Bullet Bill", was an American professional football halfback, safety and return specialist who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Detroit Lions, and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966 and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1972.
Cory Michael Schlesinger is an American former professional football player who was a fullback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) and current executive for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He was selected by the Lions in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL draft. He was selected to three Pro Bowls.
Stoney Jarrod Case is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for three teams in the National Football League (NFL) and three teams in the Arena Football League (AFL). He played college football for the New Mexico Lobos.
Gregory Paul Landry was an American professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and United States Football League (USFL) from 1968 to 1984. He played college football for the UMass Minutemen from 1965 to 1967 and was selected in the first round of the 1968 NFL draft with the 11th overall pick. Landry played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions, Baltimore Colts and Chicago Bears. He became an assistant coach after his playing career. Landry is considered a forerunner of the dual threat quarterback.
Lydell Douglas Mitchell is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) from 1972 to 1980. During his nine-season NFL career, Mitchell played for the Baltimore Colts, San Diego Chargers and Los Angeles Rams. He played college football at Penn State.
Melvin Farr was an American professional football player and businessman.
James Norman Young is a former professional American football and Canadian football player. Young played running back and wide receiver for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings for two seasons (1965–66), and the CFL's BC Lions for thirteen seasons (1967–79). Young is a member of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, the BC Sports Hall of Fame, and the Queen's University Football Hall of Fame. Young's #30 jersey is one of ten numbers retired by the BC Lions. In 2003, Young was voted a member of the BC Lions All-Time Dream Team as part of the club's 50th anniversary celebration. In 2006, Young was voted to the Honour Roll of the CFL's top 50 players of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN.
Bruce Patrick Bannon is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons during the early 1970s. He played college football for Penn State University and earned consensus All-American honors. The New York Jets selected him in the fifth round of the 1973 NFL draft, and he played for the NFL's Miami Dolphins in 1973 and 1974.
Richard John Hoak is an American former professional football player and coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Steelers as a running back. Hoak played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, and was selected by the Steelers in the seventh round of the 1961 NFL draft. He played for the Steelers from 1961 to 1970, and then became the longest tenured coach in the team's history, from 1972 to 2007.
Robert James "Hunchy" Hoernschemeyer was an American football player. A native of Cincinnati, he played college football as a halfback for the Indiana Hoosiers football in 1943 and 1944 and as a quarterback for the Navy Midshipmen football team in 1945. He led the NCAA in both total offense and passing yards during the 1943 season.
Dexter Manley Bussey is an American former professional football player who was a running back for 11 years with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) from 1974 to 1984. He became the Lions' all-time career rushing leader in 1981.
Altie Taylor was an American football running back. He played eight seasons in the National Football League, including seven with the Detroit Lions. He led the Lions in rushing for three consecutive years from 1972 to 1974, appeared in 91 games, 83 as a starter, and in 1975 broke the Lions' career record with 4,297 rushing yards.
Thomas Matthew Nowatzke is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) from 1965 through 1972.
William Alan Munson was an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) from 1964 through 1979. He also played college football for Utah State where he set multiple passing records as a senior in 1963.
Johnny Musso is an American former professional football player who was a running back for three seasons with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and in the National Football League (NFL) with the Chicago Bears. Musso played college football at the University of Alabama, where was a consensus selection on the 1971 College Football All-America Team. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
Horace Edward King is an American former professional football running back. He played college football at the University of Georgia from 1972 to 1974 and in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions from 1975 to 1983.
Tommy Joe Crutcher was an American football player who played for the Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, and the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas Christian University.
Monroe Eley was an American professional football running back who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and National Football League (NFL).
