Ricky Sanders
Encyclopedia
Ricky Wayne Sanders is a former American football
wide receiver
who played for eight seasons with the Washington Redskins
and one for the Atlanta Falcons
in the National Football League
from 1986
to 1994
. He played running back, safety, and place kicker (on kickoffs) as a three-year letterman for Belton High School in Belton, TX and broke five records.
Sanders played college football
at Southwest Texas State University and played two seasons in the United States Football League
for the Houston Gamblers
and teamed with Jim Kelly making 101 receptions for 1,370 yards and 11 touchdowns and after the league folded, Sanders signed with the Redskins. The Redskins had two talented receivers in the sure handed Art Monk and tough Gary Clark but felt they needed a legitimate deep threat and Sanders fit the bill.
Sanders started slow with only 14 catches but proved he was a deep threat averaging 20.4 yards per catch. His next season was better when he snatched 34 passes from new starting quarterback Jay Schroeder. He had his best season in 1988
when he finished fifth in the NFL on receiving yards with 1148 yards and second in receiving touchdowns with 12, a Redskins record, despite the fact that the Redskins had to switch quarterbacks mid-season due to Schroeder going down with an injury. The backup quarterback Doug Williams loved Sanders' speed and ability to run after the catch and went to him often. This duo was effective and the Redskins fought their way through the playoffs and into the Super Bowl.
In Super Bowl XXII, Sanders had one of the greatest performances in NFL history, catching nine passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns, while also returning three kickoffs for 46 yards. He set Super Bowl records for most receiving yards (193), most total yards (235), most touchdowns in one quarter (2), most receiving yards in one quarter (168), and longest touchdown reception (80 yards, tie) in Washington's 42-10 win over the Denver Broncos
.
Next season was also a good one for Sanders as he made 80 grabs for 1,138 yards. His team had two quarterbacks (Doug Williams and Mark Rypien) and two other 1000 yard receivers (Art Monk and Gary Clark). Sanders numbers fell off slightly in 1990 when Rypien took over as full time starter. Rypien went more to the reliable Art Monk and tenacious Gary Clark when more teams would play deep coverages to stop Sanders who was the fastest of the three; yet he still he managed 56 catches for 727 yards and was the main deep threat.
Sanders returned to the Super Bowl after 1991 season another good year taking 45 catches for 580 yards as part of a talented offensive group. The Posse torched the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons on their way to the Super Bowl against the Buffalo Bills where Sanders had a big catch in the game.
Sanders won two Super Bowl rings with the Redskins, in Super Bowl XXII
and Super Bowl XXVI
.
In 1991 Sanders was accused of running over a parking attendant outside a nightclub. He went on trial, but was not convicted. Washington drafted top Heisman trophy winning receiver Desmond Howard but he could not unseat Sanders. When Gibbs retired there were coaching and quarterback changes in Washington and Sanders became a free agent
after the 1993
season and decided to move on. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons where he played two seasons with them, making 67 receptions for 599 yards and one touchdown in 1994. Sanders signed with the Miami Dolphins
after the 1995 season but never played a game with them.
Sanders finished his 10 NFL seasons with 483 receptions for 6,477 yards and 37 touchdowns. He also rushed for 94 yards and one touchdown, returned two punts for 12 yards, and gained 636 yards on 33 kickoff returns. Of particular note he has the distinction of having the most touches of the football of any player without a fumble during his career.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
who played for eight seasons with the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
and one for the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
from 1986
1986 in sports
1986 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup –** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Maria Walliser, Switzerland-American football:...
to 1994
1994 in sports
1994 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* January 29 – death of Ulrike Maier , Austrian skier, who broke her neck when she crashed during a World Cup downhill race at Garmisch-Partenkirchen...
. He played running back, safety, and place kicker (on kickoffs) as a three-year letterman for Belton High School in Belton, TX and broke five records.
Career
Sanders was a three-sport star at Belton High School. He made all-region in basketball, placed in three events in the state track meet, and won accolades as a running back. Although recruited by numerous major colleges -- including Michigan, UCLA, and Texas Tech, among many others -- his junior year, he did not attend any of them. A string of injuries his senior football season may have been a contributing factor.Sanders played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Southwest Texas State University and played two seasons in the United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
for the Houston Gamblers
Houston Gamblers
The Houston Gamblers were an American football team that competed in the United States Football League in 1984 and 1985. The Gamblers were coached by veteran NFL head coach Jack Pardee in both their seasons...
and teamed with Jim Kelly making 101 receptions for 1,370 yards and 11 touchdowns and after the league folded, Sanders signed with the Redskins. The Redskins had two talented receivers in the sure handed Art Monk and tough Gary Clark but felt they needed a legitimate deep threat and Sanders fit the bill.
Sanders started slow with only 14 catches but proved he was a deep threat averaging 20.4 yards per catch. His next season was better when he snatched 34 passes from new starting quarterback Jay Schroeder. He had his best season in 1988
1988 in sports
1988 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Michela Figini, Switzerland-American football:...
when he finished fifth in the NFL on receiving yards with 1148 yards and second in receiving touchdowns with 12, a Redskins record, despite the fact that the Redskins had to switch quarterbacks mid-season due to Schroeder going down with an injury. The backup quarterback Doug Williams loved Sanders' speed and ability to run after the catch and went to him often. This duo was effective and the Redskins fought their way through the playoffs and into the Super Bowl.
In Super Bowl XXII, Sanders had one of the greatest performances in NFL history, catching nine passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns, while also returning three kickoffs for 46 yards. He set Super Bowl records for most receiving yards (193), most total yards (235), most touchdowns in one quarter (2), most receiving yards in one quarter (168), and longest touchdown reception (80 yards, tie) in Washington's 42-10 win over the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Next season was also a good one for Sanders as he made 80 grabs for 1,138 yards. His team had two quarterbacks (Doug Williams and Mark Rypien) and two other 1000 yard receivers (Art Monk and Gary Clark). Sanders numbers fell off slightly in 1990 when Rypien took over as full time starter. Rypien went more to the reliable Art Monk and tenacious Gary Clark when more teams would play deep coverages to stop Sanders who was the fastest of the three; yet he still he managed 56 catches for 727 yards and was the main deep threat.
Sanders returned to the Super Bowl after 1991 season another good year taking 45 catches for 580 yards as part of a talented offensive group. The Posse torched the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons on their way to the Super Bowl against the Buffalo Bills where Sanders had a big catch in the game.
Sanders won two Super Bowl rings with the Redskins, in Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII was an American football game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1987 regular season...
and Super Bowl XXVI
Super Bowl XXVI
Super Bowl XXVI was an American football game played on January 26, 1992 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota to decide the National Football League champion following the 1991 regular season...
.
In 1991 Sanders was accused of running over a parking attendant outside a nightclub. He went on trial, but was not convicted. Washington drafted top Heisman trophy winning receiver Desmond Howard but he could not unseat Sanders. When Gibbs retired there were coaching and quarterback changes in Washington and Sanders became a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
after the 1993
1993 in sports
1993 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Anita Wachter, Austria-American football:...
season and decided to move on. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons where he played two seasons with them, making 67 receptions for 599 yards and one touchdown in 1994. Sanders signed with the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
after the 1995 season but never played a game with them.
Sanders finished his 10 NFL seasons with 483 receptions for 6,477 yards and 37 touchdowns. He also rushed for 94 yards and one touchdown, returned two punts for 12 yards, and gained 636 yards on 33 kickoff returns. Of particular note he has the distinction of having the most touches of the football of any player without a fumble during his career.
External links
- http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/SandRi00.htm
- http://www.thehogs.net/content/index.php?id=715