Hall of Fame
Position: Running Back
Years: 1962-1964
Place of Birth: Wichita, KS
Date of Birth: May 30, 1943
Place of Death: Wakarusa, IN
Date of Death: Sept 23, 2020
Jersey Number: 48
Height: 6-0
Weight: 194
High School: Omaha, NE (Central HS)
Nicknamed the "Kansas Comet", Gale Sayers established himself throughout his collegiate and professional career as one of the great running backs in the history of football. A two-time First Team All-America selection for the Jayhawks, Sayers concluded his KU career with 2,675 yards rushing and 3,917 all-purpose yards.
Sayers led KU in rushing, touchdowns and kickoff returns all three years he was in the lineup. He also led the team in receiving and punt returns as a junior and senior. Sayers became the first player in NCAA Division IA history to record a 99-yard run when he broke loose against Nebraska in Lincoln during the 1963 season.
Sayers also had a 96-yard kickoff return in a 15-14 upset of Oklahoma his senior season when he also served as team captain. He was a three-time First Team All-Big Eight selection and finished his career playing in the East-West Shrine Game, Hula Bowl and College All-Star Game. Sayers' No. 48 jersey is one of three retired by the Kansas football program.
Sayers was a first-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears (and Kansas City Chiefs) and had an abbreviated seven-year NFL career that was cut short by a knee injury. He led the league in rushing in 1966 and 1969.
In 1967, Sayers and Bears teammate Brian Piccolo became the first interracial roommates in the NFL. Sayers' ensuing friendship with Piccolo and Piccolo's struggle with cancer, became the subject of the made-for-TV movie "Brian's Song."
Sayers retired in 1972 with a career total of 4,956 rushing yards. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977 at age 34, the youngest person ever selected. In a relatively short career, Sayers compiled a record that can never be forgotten.
He totaled 9,435 combined net yards, 4,856 yards rushing and 336 points scored. At the time of retirement, he was the NFL's all-time leader in kickoff returns. Sayers won All-NFL honors five straight years and was named Offensive Player of the Game in three of the four Pro Bowls in which he played.
He served as an assistant athletics director at his alma mater from 1972-76. He then served as athletics director at Southern Illinois (1976-81), founded a computer supply company and then served as interim AD at Tennessee State from 1985-86.
Most recently, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) inducted Gale Sayers into the John McLendon Minority Athletics Administrators Hall of Fame on June 19, 2009.
Sayers passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, at the age of 77.
