NFL Football Legend Barry Sanders Visits Tulsa

Former Oklahoma State, and NFL, football legend Barry Sanders was at the Woodland Hills Mall Thursday. The star paid a visit to Microsoft for a meet and greet, and to play Xbox One with some of his fans. This was all in honor of the store's grand opening in the new location.

Sanders stated that it was incredible to be back in Oklahoma for the event, since he now resides in Michigan. He also talked about Oklahoma State's current football program, saying “Coach Gundy, since he's been there [he's] been solid, he's recruited well, [and] he's played in some great games. We've won some big bowl games, and so I think years like this happen to the best of them. It literally happens to the best of them.”

He also stated that many great coaches, one being Urban Meyer, have a couple bad seasons in their careers, where their teams didn't play their best ball.

11/19/2014 Related Story: Newest Microsoft Store Ready For Grand Opening At Woodland Hills

When asked about his most memorable Thanksgiving games with the Detroit Lions, Barry said, “The whole Thanksgiving week for us, as players, you can feel the buildup, and [it's] special to be a part of because you have not just the whole state of Michigan rallying around you, [but also] all the different stars coming out for the games.” He stated that those games have a completely different feel from most other games, because they're really special. He also said that having support from the national audience was great. 

Sanders is originally from Wichita, Kansas. He later attended OSU to play football. He won the Heisman Trophy during his college career there. After college, he spent his entire NFL career with the Detroit Lions. He was the third overall draft pick for them in 1989. He played ten All Pro seasons in the league before retiring. In 1997, Sanders received the NFL's Most Valuable Player award. That year he rushed for 2,053 yards, and had 11 touchdowns.

He is known for his running style, and ability to make sharp cuts at the drop of a dime. He is also known as one of the best running backs in history. Sanders was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame on August 8, 2004.

In present times, Sanders works with charities and community projects, while remaining an ambassador for the NFL.