Throwback Thursday: Billy Sims and his karate kick

Its throwback Thursday and today I found myself thinking of Billy Sims. The man who carried the Detroit Lions on his shoulders in the early 1980’s and was the first player that I ever honestly paid attention to. He would leap over people, run through them if he had too and almost led the Lions to a playoff victory.

Billy won a Heisman trophy and was the best player to wear #20 until Barry Sanders showed up. His career was cut short by knee injuries, but he made me a football fan when I was a kid, and deserves to be remembered more often than he is.

Sims had over 5,000 career rushing yards, scored 13 rushing touchdowns in each of his first two years and could catch the ball averaging over 11 yards per catch during his career. He didn’t fumble, he made headlines by leaping over crowds at the goalline and was well on his way towards a hall of fame career before a hit square on his knee brought his career to a grinding halt.

Here you’ll find one of my favorite plays in the NFL ever, enjoy this Throwback Thursday moment.