In an alternate universe, Joe Montana and Barry Sanders had been teammates in Detroit. Montana it seems that wanted to team up with Sanders with the Lions in 1993, however the union by no means materialized.Â
Wayne Fontes, who used to be the Lions coach on the time, informed Sanders in Amazon’s new documentary at the famous person operating again that Montana reached out about enjoying for the Lions forward of the 1993 season. Montana used to be on his approach out of San Francisco and it seems that wanted to percentage a backfield with the long run Hall of Famer.Â
“[Montana] called me and he said, ‘I’d love to play with you and Barry Sanders,’ Fontes said. “I just about jumped off my table.”
While Fontes was elated with the news, the team’s general manager at the time didn’t share his coach’s enthusiasm.Â
“I went and noticed Chuck Schmidt and I stated, ‘We were given a possibility at Joe Montana,’ Fontes recalled. “But Chuck Schmidt said, ‘He’s too old. He’s over the hill. He’s done, another year.’ I went back to Joe and said, ‘I’m sorry.'”Â
This used to be new information for Sanders, who it seems that simply ignored out on a possibility to play with probably the most largest quarterbacks of all time.Â
Instead of going to Detroit, Montana ended up in Kansas City, the place he loved two extra productive seasons that incorporated main the Chiefs to inside a sport of the Super Bowl.Â
“He lit it up in Kansas City,” Sanders stated.Â
Detroit made the playoffs in 4 of the following 5 seasons however by no means complicated past the wild card spherical. Part of the explanation used to be the truth that defenses may center of attention extra in their power on containing Sanders, who had one profession 100-yard dashing sport in six postseason appearances.Â
While Sanders by no means received a Super Bowl, he gained each person honor an athlete can win, together with a statute that the Lions constructed in his honor previous this 12 months.Â