Barry Sanders Jokes About Donating for Kenny Golladay Extension

Barry Sanders

Getty Barry Sanders at halftime of a Lions game in 2016.

The Detroit Lions are trying to get a deal done with Kenny Golladay, and one of their biggest franchise legends is right there to help with some extra cash if need be.

Barry Sanders understands that the Lions need to get a deal done with Golladay, their best player. As a result, he jokingly says he’s willing to make a monitary donation to the franchise in order to get the contract finished off considering its overall importance to the team moving forward.

Speaking in an interview with Justin Rose of WXYZ-TV, Sanders stressed the importance of finding a way to keep Golladay in the mix long term with the Lions given his overall importance to the roster and his ability to be a gam changing player both on the field and off.

Sanders said:

“Where do I send in my check man, for the contract? Where do I send my check? Hey look, it’s essential. Obviously it’s a great team game, but at the moment, I can’t see a more important part or piece of the puzzle, I’ll put it like that. I’m sure they’re working on it, it has to get done. It’s the right thing to do, the guy has definitely shown he’s earned it. I think it’s just a matter of time.”

The hope for Lions fans is that Golladay sticks around and is able to become a force just like Sanders was with Detroit through the years. Obviously, Sanders is motivated to see that play out in the future.

Kenny Golladay Contract Situation

The Lions have wanted to get a deal done with Golladay to keep him in the mix for the future, but have not seen any details of the negotiations go public at this point, other than Golladay’s own potential frustration with how things are playing out. It was assumed after Taylor Decker’s deal that the Lions may have been able to get the job done on a Golladay extension, but when it did not play out before the season, that left many to wonder if it would indeed happen in 2020 or if Golladay would have to wait.

So far, he’s had to wait, but even folks like Sanders consider that a frustration considering his overall talent.


Barry Sanders’ Lions Career

With the Lions, Sanders rushed for 15,269 yards and 99 touchdowns. He was routinely thought of as the best running back in the league, and would have shattered plenty of NFL rushing records had he decided to keep playing. Sanders, however, walked away from the game in 1999 on the eve of training camp, which stunned the Lions and everyone watching the team. The parties then went through a frustrating split for multiple years, based mostly upon the fact that the franchise made him pay back part of his contract amid retirement.

Since, time has healed all wounds and Sanders has patched things up with the Lions and has become engaged in their alumni group. He also makes several visits a year to games the team is playing in, and was recently named to Detroit’s All-Century team, which is a major feather in his cap given what he was able to do as a team leader and a dominating force in the franchise.

There is no reason that Golladay can’t take his place amongst the all-time greats of the franchise, but in order for him to do that, the team has to keep him around.

Count Sanders as a man who believes that has to happen.

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