Hall of Honor

Ricky Sanders HoH

Ricky Sanders

  • Class
  • Induction
    2018
  • Sport(s)
    Football


Ricky Sanders was a four-year letterwinner at running back for the Bobcat football team from 1980-83. Sanders, a two-time Super Bowl Champion, holds bountiful records both throughout his collegiate career with the Bobcats and his professional career in the National Football League.
 Ricky Sanders
Gallery: (11-1-2020) Ricky Sanders Hall of Honor

Sanders was a member of the back-to-back NCAA Division II National Championship teams in 1981 and 1982, helping the Bobcats to 13-1 record in 1981 and a 14-0 record in 1982. He was named MVP of the NCAA Division II National Championship in 1982 and was also named All-Lone Star Conference Second Team.  During his senior season, Sanders was elected team captain and earned All-LSC First Team honors. He was also selected as the team’s offensive player of the year.

Sanders holds several individual and team records for the Bobcats. He was the team’s scoring leader in 1983 with 10 touchdowns, while also leading the maroon and gold in punt return yards (166) and average yards per punt return (11.9). He ranks in the top 10 in school history with 2,461 rushing yards and 3,126 all-purpose yards. He was the Bobcats leading rusher in both 1982 and 1983. He also led in touchdowns, punt returns and punt return yards in 1983.

After leaving his legacy at Texas State, Sanders joined the United States Football League with the Houston Gamblers from 1984-1985. He teamed with Jim Kelly and finished with 101 receptions for 1,370 yards and 11 touchdowns in his two seasons.

He then went on to play in the National Football League for a total of 10 years, the first eight with the Washington Redskins (1986-93) and the remaining two with the Atlanta Falcons (1994-95). Sanders joined Washington in 1986 to form the trio of wide receivers (Art Monk, Gary Clark, Sanders) to become known as “The Posse”.

Sanders was a standout performer in Super Bowl XXII after catching nine passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns, while also returning three kickoffs for 46 yards in Washington’s 42-10 victory over Denver. He set Super Bowl records for most receiving yards, most total yards (235), most touchdowns in a quarter (2), most receiving yards in a quarter (168), and tied another record for longest touchdown reception (80 yards).
Sanders won his second Super Bowl in 1991, as Washington defeated the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVI. That same season he recorded 45 catches for 580 yards.

He had arguably his best season in 1988 as he finished fifth in the NFL in receiving yards with 1,148 and second in receiving touchdowns with 12, a Redskins record. In 1989 he had 80 receptions for 1,138 yards. He finished his 10 NFL seasons with 483 receptions for 6,477 yards and 37 touchdowns. He also rushed for 94 yards and one touchdown, returned a punt for 12 yards, and gained 636 yards on 33 kickoff returns.
Today, Sanders works in the freight business for the petro-chemical industry and remains active in the NFL and USO where he volunteers to go overseas to entertain our troops. He has made trips to Naples, Spain, Italy, and Germany in service to our country. He also remains active as a Bobcat as a member of the “T” Association.

Sanders currently lives in Houston, Texas with his wife Sharon. He has three daughters, Ashlynn, Kayla and Chase, and one son, Ricky, Jr. Ricky also has five grandkids.
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