NFL Injuries: Which NFL stars deserve career re-do?
player. 46. . S. Colts. Bob Sanders. 9
Bob Sanders was one of those players who could have been great, even legendary, had he stayed healthy throughout his career. Drafted No. 44 overall in 2004 out of Iowa, Sanders looked to earn his way into a starting position with the Indianapolis Colts. He played sparingly as a rookie, he appeared in just six games.
In 2005, he was the full-time starter at strong safety, finishing with 91 total tackles, an interception and four pass deflections. The second-year player was named first-team All-Pro and made his first ever Pro Bowl. Sanders’ career was taking off far before he expected.
The next season, Sanders suffered a knee injury that kept him out most of the year, playing in just four games.
After rehabbing and getting himself healthy, Sanders once again played a full season in 2007, earning AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year. No just that, but he was named to his second Pro Bowl and was an All-Pro first-teamer for the second time as well. In just three years, he was proving to be one of the league’s best defensive backs.
Sanders suffered a high ankle sprain in 2008 and played just six games. He played just two games in 2009 thanks to an arm injury. He appeared in just one game in 2010 before exiting with a bicep injury and then was released from the Colts before the 2011 season only two play two more games in his career with the Chargers.
When healthy, he was an All-Pro selection, easily, but that only happened twice in his eight NFL seasons.
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