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“Give me 18 inches of daylight, that’s all I need.”
Gale Sayers’ famous quote helps tell the story of what made him one of the most exciting players in professional football history. Sayers, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 77, was born 80 years ago today (May 30, 1943). Sayers stunned NFL fans with his staggering amount of speed, agility and vision. Known as the Kansas Comet during his playing days, Sayers won NFL Rookie of the Year honors in 1965, beating his teammate and fellow future Hall of Famer Dick Butkus. He led the NFL in rushing twice, despite facing Don Shula’s Colts and Vince Lombardi’s Packers four times each season. Sayers also developed a close bond with Bears fullback Brian Piccolo, a bond that was captured on the big screen in 1971.
Here are five things you may not know about Sayers, one of the best running backs in NFL history.
His six-touchdown performance is still an NFL record
On December 12, 1965, Sayers scored six touchdowns on a mud-soaked field against the 49ers. In addition to his four touchdown runs, Sayers also caught a touchdown pass before returning a punt 85 yards for a score. Sayers actually could have scored seven touchdowns if George Halas hadn’t taken him out of the game early, as Jon Arnett scored the final touchdown in Chicago’s 61-20 win.
Sayers still holds the rookie record for touchdowns
Although it has been 55 years since his rookie season, Sayers’ 22 touchdowns in 1965 are still the most touchdowns scored by a rookie. That season, Sayers rushed for 14 touchdowns, caught six touchdown passes, and had a punt and kickoff return for scores. All told, Sayers amassed 2,272 all-purpose yards that season for an average of 162.3 yards per game. Making Sayers’ scoring record even more impressive is the fact that it was achieved in a 14-game season.
He played in only 68 games
In 1968, Sayers was in the middle of arguably his best season before a serious knee injury changed the course of his career. Although not physically the same player, Sayers, with Piccolo’s help, forced himself back onto the field in 1969 and won Comeback Player of the Year honors after leading the league for a second time. Sayers’ comeback did not last long, however, as another knee injury sidelined him for all but two games in 1970. After an ankle injury limited him to just two games in 1971, Sayers decided to retire before the start of the 1972 season. .
As great as he and Butkus were, the duo never played in a playoff game, as the Bears – who won the NFL title two years before drafting Butkus and Sayers – never finished higher than second in their division with the two Hall of Famers. on their grid. In fact, the ’65 season was the only year Chicago posted a winning record with Butkus and Sayers on the team.
The youngest Hall of Fame inductee
On July 30, 1977, Sayers was part of a star-studded Hall of Fame induction class that also included Frank Gifford, Forrest Gregg, Bart Starr, and Bill Willis. At 34, Sayers remains the youngest player to receive induction.
Along with his Hall of Fame induction, Sayers is a member of the NFL 1960s All-Decade Team. He was also included in the NFL’s 50th, 75th, and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams. His number 40 was retired by the Bears in 1994, the same night the team retired Butkus’ number 51. Sayers still held 20 team records at the start of the 2020 season.
Sayers’ post-football success
After a brief career as a college athletic director, Sayers founded Crest Computer Supply Company, which was later renamed Sayers 40, Inc. Founded in 1984, the company is a technology consulting and implementation firm serving Fortune 1000 companies.
Sayers and his wife, Ardythe, founded The Gale Sayers Center, an after-school program in Chicago. The program focuses on leadership development, tutoring and mentoring.
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