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Legendary Running Back Barry Sanders Discloses Health Scare Over Father's Day
One of the NFL's giants is recovering after a health scare over Father's Day weekend.
Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders had a heart-related health episode this past weekend, he disclosed in a Friday afternoon statement.
"Over Father's Day weekend, I experienced a health scare related to my heart," Sanders wrote. "It was unexpected and served as a reminder of staying vigilant about our physical well-being, even when we are feeling fine."
Sanders thanked his doctors and nurses for their care and announced his intention to "prioritize (his) health and well-being" going forward.
The legendary Oklahoma State product has had an active 2024, serving as a public face of April's NFL draft in Detroit.
#Lions legend Barry Sanders announces he experienced a health scare during Father’s Day weekend pic.twitter.com/kyYVEEmq03
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 21, 2024
Widely considered one of the NFL's greatest running backs, Sanders ran for 15,269 yards and 99 touchdowns in a 10-year career with the Detroit Lions. He led the league in rushing four times and made the Pro Bowl in each of his 10 professional seasons.
Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .