RB Barry Sanders
Legacy one-liner
Sanders retired in 1998 from the NFL at age 31 only 1,457 rushing yards shy of the league's all-time leader, Walter Payton. Emmitt Smith eventually passed both, tallying 18,355 yards on 4,409 carries. But Sanders totaled 15,269 rush yards on only 3,062 carries — 1,347 fewer carries than Smith.
They said it
"I never valued [the rushing-yard record] so much that I thought it was worth my dignity or Walter’s dignity to pursue it amid so much media and marketing attention.” — Sanders at his Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement
Key stat
In his insane 1997 season, Sanders was held in check in Weeks 1 and 2 — 33 and 20 rushing yards, respectively.