1984 - Billy Sims 81-yard run with Detroit Lions vs. San Diego Chargers

[easyscore]

Too bad his career was cut short by the knee injury. IMO top 10 running backs ever.

[hardcorehouse]

One of the best pure runners, period. Like Bo, he didn't have the chance to show full potential but like Bo, I'd take him over Sanders excepting durability issues.

[maisler]

@hardcorehouse are you kidding me? Sanders was the best rb ever to play the game

[hardcorehouse]

@maisler Sanders wasn't even the best halfback, let alone running back. With the whole team relying on him, check his no-shows in the playoffs-not a warrior when it counted. He appeals to data-nerds but even there, OJ was the better halfback.

[losangelescardinals]

@hardcorehouse That's not really a fair argument. The lions were like the worst offensive line ever. Barry had to make plays by himself. Why not check his 2,000 yard season. Better yet, don't use playoff stats to back up players. You mean to tell me OJ is better that LT, Walter Payton, and Jim Brown. Child Please

[hardcorehouse]

@losangelescardinals Sure it's a fair argument, in fact it's the truth-you just don't like it. Anyone who understands the game understands that NO ONE gets even close to 2,000 yards with a poor line, so to speculate that your hero didn't have a good line is simply you and your emotions as a groupie. Child please. Sanders was good but not proven as a championship back who got it done when it counted-perfect guy for data nerds. OJ was better as a halfback and did it against better defenses.

[agricola]

@losangelescardinals the lions had a pretty good o-line in the 90s.............now if you wanna talk about the last decade, then id agree with you

[agricola]

@hardcorehouse id take barry ANYDAY over mr stabby.

[hardcorehouse]

@agricola Data-nerds love Sanders, mr. no-show when it came to the playoffs.

[icepic08]

This is real football. None of that "Fifteen yard penalty on #20 for sitting in end zone too long", crap.

[wizeman5974]

Billy Sims could have very well re-wrote all the rushing records had he stayed healthy. In his prime, he was as good as any running back who has ever played.

[AngelsofAnarchyG]

@wizeman5974 true that he could have been one of the best ever but he got hurt and it ruined his career.

[natureboyinyourface]

that was somethin'.

[DBJetsman]

Come on now. Gotta give Lem Barney some credit for wearing #20. Had 56 interceptions and compiled 1,077 INT yards in his career. Don't take anything away from Billy, but Lem's in the Hall, and Billy's not.

[chevleclair]

0:15- Official throws a block to extend the run. Good job, ref.

[bigwalt2990]

They should have challenged the play, that was a td:)

[GasHouseGangScout]

Awesome video of Billy! Oddly enough, 15 days later on the same field the Tigers would clinch the World Series against the Padres.

[GasHouseGangScout]

I had a brain cramp, the World Series began on that same field 10 days later and the Tigers clinched in Detroit 15 days later.  But still kind of poetic. :)

[uofm97]

I grew up with Barry Sanders wearing #20, so it was weird for a long time to see someone else wear it, even if it was just before him.

[sportshistorybuff]

I still remember the 1980 season when Sims was a rookie, and lead them to a 4-0

record. They smoked the Rams in the opening week, 41-20 after LA has been to the SB/ Detroit fans were flying high with the song "Another one bites the dust" but when things went south it became "Another one kicks our butts".

[dancinkindofguy]

@sportshistorybuff You got a good memory. As a Lion fan that was very frustrating. Of course that was nothing compared to the crap we've put up with in the last 10 years. You'd think the law of averages would say the Lions should have their moment in the sun just like every other team in the NFL has, but I now think they are cursed. They are the Washington Generals of football.

[LqrDrnkr757]

@dancinkindofguy We're getting better, I'm glad that we won more than 5 games.

[dancinkindofguy]

@LqrDrnkr757 Got a good looking front 4 anyway.

[Baltimorehop]

Byrd arrived as the Air Coriyell era was decending. They Chargers started focusing on defensive during tha era. Ray Childress came right after Byrd. Anyway, Billy Sims was also the reason Marcus Dupress wound up at OU. His presence overwhelmed Marcus during a visit and Dupree became a Sooner. A blown out knee is what ended Sims brilliant career. It was a shame b/c he certainly would have been in Canton. You can trust in that. Sanders came a few years later and took wore #20.

[Denver1110]

It sucks, three weeks after this he blew out his knee against the Vikings and his career was over.:(

[revlooshin]

knowing the lions as well as i do, they probably ended up settling for a field goal.

[danning1]

I was thinking the same thing. As great a run as it is, it's even more impressive that Gil Byrd caught up with him! Reminds me of plays when Deion Sanders would somehow come out of nowhere and tackle really fast receivers or running backs who still didn't have the wheels that Deion had.

[eugenemcgirt]

40 yards he was as fast as anyone... after that, linemen and linebackers could track him down.

Cosell and crew talked about that on Monday Night Football when Lawrence Taylor ran him down in 1983... "first 40 yards, fast. After that, out of gas" lol.

[eugenemcgirt]

Billy Sims was NOTORIOUS for slowing down after the first 40 yards. The first 40 yards he was as fast as anyone... after that, linemen and linebackers could track him down.

Cosell and crew talked about that on Monday Night Football when Lawrence Taylor ran him down in 1983... "first 40 yards, fast. After that, out of gas" lol.

[lundehund44]

He didn't catch up, Sims slowed down - he was coasting.

[FrsBigeasy]

Great run & a great RB Billy Sims & its a shame he broke his leg because he could of been 1 of the best of all time.

[tennforever]

Billy Sims career was cut short by playing on that hard concrete- like surface in the Silverdone. I walked on it once, Hard as hell.. If it wasn't for Billy and Barry Sanders, Lions fans wouldn't of had anything to cheer about for 50 years.

[flint55]

Keep in mind Billy Sims was 25 yrs old when he started his rookie season.  That in and of itself took 3 to 4 yrs. off his career.

[neoprankster]

Yeah, but at least he made the most of his college career at Oklahoma, right?

[Charleybones]

absolutely right.

[aloschar]

BOOMER!

[KrazyVids808]

Who was the S.D. speedster that ran him down?  That guy was fast.

[neoprankster]

That was Gill Byrd. He played ten years for San Diego (1983-1992) and is now a defensive quality control coach for the Bears.

[cbaldwinjr]

More importantly, he is a BEAST on Tecmo Super Bowl for the NES.

[SeisanStnc]

...And his son now plays for the Buffalo Bills :-)

[neoprankster]

Jairus Byrd already has 8 interceptions with the Bills this year as of this comment.

[quietriotfan1976]

@neoprankster

Byrd was a great player for some bad Chargers teams

[SFFOOL76]

Agreed, I mean that guy caught up with Silver Streak himself Billy sims.

[fatesteve1]

Ah, memories. :) Yep, in the contest held to find Billy a nickname, "Silver Streak" was chosen over all the others. Including what I sent in ("Silversonic") ......*sniff*

[fatesteve1]

Watched this live back then. As well as the game in Houston in which Billy jumps over one man and karate kicks my namesake in the neck. LOL (Also found and watched that clip here a few minutes ago.)

[stickitupyourasteric]

@SFFOOL76 running backs that take alot of runs get fatigued on long runs 3 4 quarter dumbski

[SFFOOL76]

@stickitupyourasteric

Id say Walter Payton, Barry Sanders,Emitt SmithRoger Craig, Eric Dickerson, John Riggins, Tony Dorsett would have to disagree. Sims was on their level or calibur. Have a great day.

[futurehalloffamer]

he is fast, but is because billy slowed down when he though he was home free....by the time he saw the db gaining it was too late

[newtcummer1]

This is a great video. It is magical in that it seems like it was done last sunday and I am all over again.

[sdthundertv]

I didn't know that Jim Hill used to do play-by-play. Detroit had two great #20's. Makes me wonder, if Simms stays healthy and has a long career there's a good chance the Lions don't get Barry Sanders.

[Nick1944]

Detroit actually had 3 great number 20's. Lem Barney, Sims and Sanders. :)

[blazerbobcat]

It's kind of ironic that both Detroit and San Diego's baseball teams would play in the 1984 World Series on that same field, Jack Murphy Stadium, within two, if not three weeks after the Lions and Chargers played. Weird, isn't it?

[GasHouseGangScout]

I was just thinking the same thing as I watched this! Great to see Billy Sims again.

[mdumas43073]

The day before, the Tigers had gotten their 104th regular season win (a club record), and the Wolverines had beaten Indiana in Bloomington.

It was a great weekend to be a sports fan in Detroit...although, true to form, the Lions would go on to lose this particular game by a field goal.

[raiders1967]

Thanks for posting the clip of Sims. Though the Raiders are my favorite team, I've always liked the Lions and remember Billy Sims well.

[HartleyHawk]

I like Jim Hill's comments. Jim Hill was the play by play guy for CBS on this telecast.

[Sirscorps]

Sims was awesome, it's too bad he had the knee injuries. This was probably after he already blew out his first knee.

[facistleader]

This is when the Lions were at least watchable. Billy Sims!!! We need another Barry or Billy--Badly!

[trscott1975]

It is very funny how both Billy Sims and Barry Sanders initials are both B.S., they wore #20 and both were explosive and fast in similar ways, both were the best RB's of their era and both were THE FRANCHISE PLAYERS for the Detroit lions. Detroit has had 2 super star RBs they could have built their teams around and brought in other players to build a winning team and they blew it. That franchise does not want to win. They will pick Stafford in the draft and he will be a BUST! WATCH!

[newtcummer1]

also they both played college in the state of Oklahoma. Sims a sooner and sanders a Oklahoma st. Cowboy.

[SuperBowlExpert]

This was Sims' last season in the NFL.

[YaBoyBump]

billy's was my fav lion. i liked his style better than Barry's. Too back he got hurt

[RCmack]

It's too bad Billy Sims' career was cut short by a knee injury.

I remember seeing many nice Sims runs in the early 80's.

[BloodBoxing]

yeah....he had some nice runs.....and wore that 20 very well be fore the great barry sanders took over