Remembering Gale Sayers: Here are five things you may not know about the late Chicago Bears legend

“Give me 18 inches of daylight, that’s all I need.”

Gale Sayers’ infamous quote helps tell the story of what made him one of the most electric players in professional football history. Sayers, who died at age 77 in 2020, was born 81 years ago today (May 30, 1943). Sayers dazzled NFL fans with his dizzying array of speed, agility and vision. Known as the Kansas Comet during his playing days, Sayers won the NFL Rookie of the Year award in 1965, besting teammate and future Hall of Famer Dick Butkus. He twice led the NFL in rushing despite having to face Don Shula’s Colts and Vince Lombardi’s Packers four times a season. Sayers also developed a close bond with Bears quarterback Brian Piccolo a bond that was captured on the big screen in 1971.

Here are five things you might not know about Sayers, one of the best running backs in NFL history.

His six-touchdown performance is still an NFL record

On December 12, 1965, Sayers scored six touchdowns on a mud-soaked field against the 49ers. In addition to his four touchdown runs, Sayers also caught a touchdown pass before returning a punt 85 yards for a score. In fact, Sayers could have scored seven touchdowns if George Halas hadn’t taken him out of the game earlier, as Jon Arnett scored the final touchdown in Chicago’s 61-20 victory.

Sayers still holds the rookie record for touchdowns

Although it has been nearly 60 years since his rookie season, Sayers’ 22 touchdowns in 1965 are still the most touchdowns scored by a rookie. That season, Sayers rushed for 14 touchdowns, caught six touchdown passes and had one punt and one kickoff return for scores. In all, Sayers accumulated 2,272 all-purpose yards that season, for an average of 162.3 yards per game. Making Sayers’ goalscoring record even more impressive is the fact that it was achieved in a 14-game season.

He only played 68 games

In 1968, Sayers was in the midst of his best season before a serious knee injury altered the course of his career. Although not physically the same player, Sayers, with Piccolo’s help, returned to the field in 1969, winning the Comeback Player of the Year award after leading the league in rushing for the second time. Sayers’ return did not last long, however, as another knee injury kept him sidelined for all but two games in 1970. After an ankle injury limited him to just two games in 1971, Sayers decided to retire before the start of the 1972 season.

As good as he and Butkus were, the duo never played in a playoff game, as the Bears – who won the NFL title two years before drafting Butkus and Sayers – never finished higher than second in their division with both members of the Hall of Fame. on your list. In fact, the ’65 season was the only year Chicago posted a winning record with Butkus and Sayers on the team.

Youngest Hall of Fame inductee

On July 30, 1977, Sayers was part of a star-studded Hall of Fame induction class that also included Frank Gifford, Forrest Gregg, Bart Starr and Bill Willis. At 34, Sayers remains the youngest player to receive induction.

Along with his Hall of Fame induction, Sayers is a member of the NFL’s 1960s All-Decade Team. He was also included on the NFL’s 50th, 75th, and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams. His number 40 was retired by the Bears in 1994, the same night the team retired Butkus’ number 51. Sayers still held 20 team records at the start of the 2020 season.

Sayers’ post-football success

After a brief career as a college athletic director, Sayers founded the Crest Computer Supply Company, which was later renamed Sayers 40, Inc.. The company, founded in 1984, is a technology consulting and implementation company serving Fortune 1000 companies.

Sayers and his wife, Ardythe, founded the Gale Sayers Center, an after-school program located in Chicago. The program focuses on leadership development, mentoring and mentoring.