Detroit Lions to honor Barry Sanders with 8-foot statue at Ford Field

DETROIT – The Detroit Lions have introduced that an eight-foot statue of Barry Sanders shall be positioned at Ford Subject.

The Lions made the announcement in the course of the halftime present at Sunday’s homecoming sport. This dedication will make Sanders the primary ever Lions participant to turn out to be immortalized with a statue.

Corridor of Famer Barry Sanders has been honored with many awards, equivalent to NFL MVP (1997), NFL Offensive Participant of the Yr (1994, 1997), NFL Offensive Rookie of the Yr (1989), and First-Group All-Professional (1989–1991, 1994, 1995, 1997).

Sanders has additionally been nominated in every of his ten seasons and has been named to the Nineteen Nineties All-Decade Group and the NFL a hundredth Anniversary All-Time Group. The previous Lions participant was additionally the third particular person in NFL historical past to hurry over 2,000 yards in a season.

“Detroit has been my residence ever since I used to be drafted by the Lions in 1989. This statue means town shall be my residence perpetually, it’s surreal,” stated Sanders. “There isn’t a manner that I can specific my gratitude to all the Ford household, my teammates, my coaches, the Lions Entrance Workplace, the media, and most of all to the followers. As I soak all of it in and replicate on my profession, I acknowledge what an amazing honor that is.”

The statue shall be sculpted by High quality Artwork Studio Rotblatt Amrany out of Illinois. The staff plans to unveil the eight-foot statue in a devoted ceremony initially of the Lions 2023 season.

“It’s with immense pleasure that we share the information that we are going to be honoring the best operating again within the historical past of soccer with a statue within the metropolis we symbolize,” Detroit Lions Principal Proprietor and Chair Sheila Ford Hamp stated in an announcement. “Generations upon generations of followers will find out about Barry and his contributions not solely to the Lions however to the sport of soccer. He’s actually in a category of his personal, and whereas we might by no means see a participant fairly as electrifying or elusive once more, Barry’s legacy will reside perpetually and be tangible proper right here in Detroit.”