Former Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders apologized in a message to NFL fans for an unusual decision he made this offseason. The Hall of Famer was noted for leaving the sport early, having departed after ten seasons with the Lions.
He is doing something similar this offseason.
Barry Sanders is stepping away from Madden
Many Millennials and Gen Z football fans know of Sanders’ heroics due to the EA Sports video game franchise “Madden.” Sanders was a popular player in the Madden Ultimate Team mode because of his superior 99 overall rating. However, Sanders is stepping away from the video game.
The Detroit Lions icon apologized for leaving the Madden franchise
According to a statement on Sanders’ X account, the former Lions star has ended his friendship with Madden. He apologized to NFL fans who hoped Sanders would appear in the upcoming edition of Madden.
Sanders didn’t explain why he decided to remove his name, image, and likeness from the video game. Many fans will likely be sad they can’t use one of the best running backs in the league’s history on their ultimate team. However, it’s nice Sanders acknowledged the Madden fanbase before users downloaded the game.
NFL fans react to Sanders’ apology
Here are the best takes on fans reacting to Sanders’ apology.