Billy Sims: What could have been

Billy Sims of the Detroit Lions electrified crowds in the '80s.

Source: https://www.vintagedetroit.com/weve-got-sims-lions-got-man-1980-nfl-draft/?srsltid=AfmBOopwuPnbq8No2dXQJH82DsPVeRMmlR0pEPvw-cr8IYb0uYFyqUcY

(May be subject to copyright)

He was so good in college, he won the Heisman Trophy as top player, in his junior year. He could have won it again the next year, but it took a super human effort by another runningback to beat him out for the trophy.

Billy Sims had to settle for going first overall in the NFL Draft.

He would transform his new team, the lowly Detroit Lions, into a playoff team, but injuries would cut short his burgeoning football career.

It was 38 years ago today that Billy Sims retired, leaving many fans, including myself left to wonder:

“What could have been?”

College phenom
The first time I saw Billy Sims was New Year’s Day 1980. However, it was not when his Oklahoma Sooners were playing. Instead, it was in the Rose Bowl where the USC Trojans were playing the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Trojans had Heisman Trophy winning runningback Charles White. In the pre-game, they compared him to another runningback, Billy Sims, who had won the Heisman the previous year as a junior and was the runner-up to White that year.

Interestingly for me, who was just watching his fist ever college football games, I found it fitting that Sims’ Oklahoma Sooners played that night in the Orange Bowl against the Florida State Seminoles. What really stands out about that game is the cameras went inside the dressing room before the game. Oklahoma Coach Barry Switzer was addressing the team, and he referred to this very special player who was playing his last game.

That was Billy Sims.

In has last college game, Sims went out and rushed for 164 yards as the Sooners beat the Seminoles by a score of 24-7.

It capped off a stellar college career that did not start out so great. After playing briefly in 1975, his freshman year, where he carried the ball 15 times for 95 yards, he was hampered by injuries in 1976, his sophomore season. He carried the ball just three times for 44 yards. Due to that injury-plagued year, he was allowed to red-shirt, and came back in 1977 as his actual sophomore year. Again injuries hampered Sims, as he carried the ball 71 times for 413 yards and six touchdowns.

In his junior season, 1978, Sims had a breakout year. He rushed 224 times for 1,762 yards to lead the Big-8 Conference, and 20 touchdowns to lead the nation. He had another 134 yards rushing in the Orange Bowl where he led the Sooners to a 31-24 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers. For his efforts, Sims was awarded the Heisman Trophy, becoming only the sixth junior to win the award.

Sims’ senior year, 1979, was another stellar season, as he rushed 224 times for 1,506 yards, to lead the Big-8 Conference in both categories, and had 22 touchdowns and a 6.7-yard average to lead the nation in both those categories. He finished as runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, as Charles White had an even better season, rushing for 2,050 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Billy Sims finished his college career rushing 544 times for 3,820 yards, 48 touchdowns, and a 7.0-yard average.

The future looked bright as the pros came calling.

Turning in pro
The Detroit Lions held the number one pick in the 1980 NFL Draft, by virtue of their 2-14 record the year before, and selected Billy Sims. He immediately restored order and brought respect back to the Lions.

In 1980, his rookie season, Sims appeared in all 16 games for Detroit, rushing 313 times for 1,303 yards, 13 touchdowns and an average of 4.2 yards. He also caught 51 passes for 621 yards, three touchdowns and a 12.2-yard average. He was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year; UPI NFL-NFC Rookie of the Year; and the Associated Press Rookie of the Year. He also made the Pro Bowl and was named a Second Team All-Pro.

Sims returned the Lions to respectability, leading them to a 9-7 record, and a tie for the NFC Central Division title. However, the Minnesota Vikings owned the tiebreaker, winning the division and advancing to the playoffs. Detroit did not qualify as a wildcard.

Sophomore season
The Lions finished 8-8 in the 1981 season, finishing second in the NFC Central again, and again not making the playoffs.

Sims continued his strong play. In 14 games, he rushed 296 times for 1,437 yards, 13 touchdowns and an average of 4.9 yards. He also caught 28 passes for 451 yards, two touchdowns and an average of 16.1 yards. He was named to his second Pro Bowl, and named a Second Team All-Pro for the second time.

Playoff bound
The 1982 season was shortened to nine games by a players strike. The Lions finished with a 4-5 record. That season, the teams were ranked by conference and not division. In the NFC Central, they would have finished fourth and out of the playoffs, but in 1982 they finished eighth in the NFC.

That gave them a berth in the playoffs as the eighth seed. That meant they played Washington, who was seeded first. The Redskins won that game by a score of 31-7 and would go on to win the Super Bowl.

Sims played in all nine games for the Lions, rushing 172 times for 639 yards, four touchdowns and an average of 3.7 yards. He caught 34 passes for 342 yards and an average of 10.1 yards. Sims was also named to his third Pro Bowl.

Playoff heartbreak
The 1983 season looked like a turning point for the Lions. They again finished with a 9-7 record, but it was good enough to win the NFC Central Division title, their first division championship since 1957, and their first playoff berth in a non-strike season since 1970.

Looming in their NFC Divisional Playoff Game were the ever dangerous San Francisco 49ers. The Lions led the game late, but San Francisco Quarterback Joe Montana drove the 49ers down the field for a go-ahead touchdown and a 24-23 lead. Detroit had one last chance as they drove down into field goal range only to miss a 44-yard, game-winning field goal attempt with five seconds to play.

This game was re-visited in last year’s NFC Championship game because it was the first time the Lions played the 49ers in the playoffs since that 1983 game.

Billy Sims appeared in 13 games, rushing for 1,040 yards on 220 carries for an average of 4.7 yards and seven touchdowns. He also caught 42 passes for 419 yards, and an average of 10 yards.

Contract controversy
The United States Football League was set to begin operations in 1983, and teams built their teams, often by pursuing proven NFL talent. Sims’ agent took control of the Houston Gamblers, an expansion team. Sims secretly signed a contract with the Gamblers, and re-signed with the Lions. Ultimately, a judge voided the Houston contract and Sims returned to the Lions.

What I will always remember was hearing about this on the news. At school a few days later, my classmate Mike Kozbial asked me if I heard about the new licence plate sticker in Detroit. I said no, I hadn’t.

“Honk if you’ve signed a contract with Billy Sims,” Kozbial said.

Mike always had an amazing sense of humour.

Tragedy strikes
Halfway through the 1984 season, tragedy struck Billy Sims. In a game against the Minnesota Vikings, he suffered a catastrophic knee injury and never played again.

He appeared in eight games in 1984, rushing 130 times for 687 yards, an average of 5.3 yards, and five touchdowns. He also had 31 receptions for 239 yards, and an average of 7.7 yards.

Billy Sims finished his career as the Lions all-time rushing leader to that point with 5,106 yards on 1,131 carries for an average of 4.5 yards and 42 touchdowns. He also had 186 receptions for 2,072 yards, an average of 11.1 yards, and five touchdowns.

He spent two years trying to rehabilitate that knee, ultimately announcing his retirement on this day in 1986.

In 1995, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Parting thoughts
If you ever saw Billy Sims play, it was something to behold. He was a very special athlete and runningback, who had strength, moves and breakaway speed.

The reason I liked him so much was that he epitomized the value of the NFL Draft, and its goal of making the weak teams better.

Almost instantly, Billy Sims restored the Lions to respectability, by becoming the first player to score three touchdowns in his first NFL game.

Unlike a lot of backs who wear down, developing nagging injuries that become serious over time, or backs who get hurt, come back, get hurt and go on this injured-healthy carousel, Billy Sims was there, then he was gone. One play ended his career without any warning.

There would be no comeback, although he expressed an interest in doing so in 1988 for the 1989 season. I am glad there was no attempt because I am content with my memories of that exciting runningback, who could break a long run at any moment.

When I think of Billy Sims though, as I did today, I still wonder, “What could have been.”