NFL legend Barry Sanders revealed last June that he had suffered a heart-related "health scare." The world showed Sanders an outpouring of support and figured he was fine since he disclosed it publicly.
It turns out that the Hall of Fame running back actually suffered a heart attack, a detail he disclosed for the first time in an interview with CBS Sports. The 56-year-old said he initially thought he was just dealing with heartburn while on a recruiting trip with his son last June.
But that burning sensation continued, and the health scare ensued.
"I couldn't believe it, honestly," Sanders shared in The Making of a Heart Attack, which premieres Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on A&E. "I thought it was like heartburn, but it just kind of persisted."
CBS Sports reports that Sanders woke up with a burning sensation in his chest, forcing him to leave his son's recruiting trip early. He decided to drive himself to the emergency room and tests showed that his enzyme levels were "really high and getting higher." A heart catheter procedure ultimately revealed that he had, indeed, suffered a heart attack.
Sanders said the scary episode served an educational purpose, and a reminder of how constant this happens to people across the world.
"Of all things, I don't know why, that just never entered my mind," Sanders said. "I'm learning through this process that there aren't necessarily any warning signs, unless you do what we're encouraging people to do, which is to go the doctor, get tested for LDLC levels, or bad cholesterol. That's the only way to find out if you have high cholesterol. It's not something you're going to be able to feel. You don't have to fit a certain physical profile."
Sanders, at only 5-foot-8, is considered one of the best running backs of all time in college and professional football. His 2,628 yards rushing and 37 touchdowns his junior season at Oklahoma State is considered the best individual season of all time by a running back. That year, Sanders won the Heisman Trophy and was voted a unanimous All-American.
At the NFL level, Sanders went on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year before earning two NFL MVP awards. In 2019, he was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All-Time list. In 10 seasons with the Detroit Lions, Sanders rushed for 15,269 yards, putting him fourth all time on the rushing list. He shocked the world when he abruptly retired in his prime at just 31 years old in 1999.
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This story was originally published June 13, 2025 at 12:17 PM.