Barry Sanders contract: How much did the Lions legend make in the NFL?

Detroit Lions legend Barry Sanders had a Hall of Fame caliber career in the NFL before abruptly retiring after ten dominant years on the Gridiron.

The iconic running back signed two contracts with the Lions in his illustrious career. As a rookie in 1989, he penned a five-year, $9,500,000 deal with the franchise, including a $2,100,000 signing bonus and an average annual salary of $1,900,000.

Upon the expiry of his rookie contract, Sanders re-upped with the Lions, signing a six-year, $33,500,000 deal with the franchise, including a $11,000,000 signing bonus and an average annual salary of $5,583,333.

As a result of signing those contracts, Sanders made a respectable $33,779,500 during his ten-year NFL career. He retired at the end of the 1998 season.

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Barry Sanders' net worth

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Barry Sanders is worth an estimated $8 Million. Perhaps the greatest running back in NFL history earned that net worth thanks to a decade-long career with the Detroit Lions.

Sanders was drafted by the Lions with the third overall pick in the 1989 Draft and spent his entire career with the Lions. Sanders earned numerous personal accolades during his time in the NFL.

He won the 1997 Most Valuable Player Award, two NFL Offensive Player of the Year Awards, the six first-team All-Pro nods, ten consecutive Pro Bowl selections, and so much more.

Sanders's net worth comes from his earnings on the Gridiron, sponsorship deals, and investments. He was easily one of the best players of his era, and his contract earnings say just as much.

Why did Barry Sanders retire so early?

Barry Sanders had a legendary ten-year run in the NFL, where he was easily the best player at his position. Sanders was a virtual lock for an All-Pro team, and the Pro Bowl became his second home.

However, at the age of 31 and just 1,457 yards away from eclipsing Walter Payton's all-time rushing record, Sanders retired from the NFL. Sanders' decision sent shockwaves across the league in 1998.

Upon retirement, Barry Sanders stated that he left the game due to the Detroit Lions front office incompetence and the rapidly declining team production in the later years of his career.

Sanders retired a mere one year removed from being the league MVP, and he is one of those rare cases of MVP-caliber players who left the game before they were in decline. The Hall of Famer was still a second-team All-Pro selection and Pro Bowler in his last year on the Gridiron.