Former Chicago Bears running back legend Gale Sayers dies at age 77

Gale Sayers (Joshua Balog, Wikimedia Commons)

One of the most notable running backs in National Football League history has passed away at age 77. Gale Sayers of Wichita, Kansas died of complications from dementia on Wednesday according to Jason Kurtz of CNN. 

Sayers played seven seasons for the Chicago Bears from 1965 to 1971. He had 991 rushes for 4956 yards and 39 touchdowns. Sayers also had 112 catches for 1307 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

Sayers’ most notable season came in 1966 when he led the NFL in rushing yards (1231), yards per game (87.9), and yards per scrimmage (1678). Two years later in 1968, Sayers once again led the NFL in yards per game (95.1), as well as yards per attempt (6.2). Then in 1969, Sayers led the NFL in rushing yards (1032), and yards per game (73.7).

During his NFL career, Sayers also played special teams regularly for the Bears and eas used as a punt returner and kickoff returner. For three straight seasons from 1965 to 1967, Sayers led the NFL in all-purpose yards. He had 2272 yards in 1965, 2440 yards in 1966, and 1689 yards in 1967.

Sayers was a First-Team All-Pro with the Bears from 1965 to 1969, played in four Pro Bowls in 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1969, and was the 1965 National Football League Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year. In 1965, Sayers had 867 yards rushing, and had career highs in receiving yards (507), rushing touchdowns (14), receiving touchdowns (six), and total touchdowns (20).

In addition to winning the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Sayers won the 1969 NFL Comeback Player of the Year. Sayers had undergone a serious knee injury in 1968, which saw him tear his ACL and MCL. Sayers’ number 40 is retired by the Bears, and in 1977, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At age 34, Sayers holds the record for the youngest person ever inducted into Canton.

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