NFL Player Profiles: Gale Sayers

Running back Gale Sayers was the premier offensive player of his era, combining a set of skills that the NFL had not witnessed since the legendary running back Jim Brown. At only 6 feet tall and 190 pounds Sayers had power and speed along with the ability to cut on a dime with changes in speed that made defenders at times look foolish. Unfortunately, Sayers professional career was cut short due to several knee injuries, but his legacy will be long remembered by those who competed against him and by those among us lucky enough to have witnessed his superiority on the field of play.

Born on May 30, 1943 in Wichita, Kansas, Gale Sayer was the second of three boys, and his family moved frequently before settling in Omaha, Nebraska. As a high school athlete nearly every major college was interested in Sayers, and he signed 17 letters of intent before finally attending the University of Kansas. While he thrived on the field, Sayers struggled with shyness and his studies, but eventually overcame both problems. In his junior and season seasons Gale Sayers earned All-American Honors at running back, along with the nickname the "Kansas Comet".

Sayers was selected by the Chicago Bears with the fourth pick in the first round of the 1965 National Football League draft, and as a rookie set a record that stood for years by scoring 22 touchdowns. A knee injury in 1968 and again in 1970 had robbed Sayers of his once blinding speed and ability to dart, and he retired in 1971. From 1965 to 1971 Sayers rushed for a total of 4,956 yards and 48 touchdowns, with a rushing average of 5 yards per carry. Gale Sayers was named to four Pro Bowl Games, and was the Most Valuable Player in three of them.

In 1977 Sayers was voted into the College Football Hall of Fame, and in the same year, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. The Chicago Bears have retired Sayers' # 40 jersey as a tribute to his contributions to the team and the city of Chicago.

Since his retirement, Gale Sayers has had incredible success as a businessman, both as a stockbroker and as an independent entrepreneur. He continues to contribute to his community through his work with charitable activities directed at helping disadvantaged youth, and is much in demand as a speaker and at sports memorabilia shows and conventions.