Lions to honor franchise legend with first statue

The Detroit Lions have never previously had one of their players immortalized with a statue, until now.

The Lions announced during halftime of their game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday that Barry Sanders will be the first player in franchise history to get a statue. The statue will be at Ford Field.

Sanders was extremely grateful to learn of the planned honor.

“Detroit has been my home ever since I was drafted by the Lions in 1989. This statue means the city will be my home forever, it’s surreal,” Sanders said in a statement shared by the team. “There is no way that I can express my gratitude to the entire Ford family, my teammates, my coaches, the Lions Front Office, the media, and most of all to the fans. As I soak it all in and reflect on my career, I recognize what a tremendous honor this is.”

The statue will be unveiled in a ceremony prior to the start of next season.

Sanders was the No. 3 overall pick by the Lions in 1989. He played 10 seasons for the team, making the Pro Bowl in each season. He led the NFL in rushing four times, won NFL MVP once, Offensive Player of the Year twice, and Rookie of the Year. Sanders scored 109 touchdowns during his career.