Los Angeles (AFP)
Former running back Gale Sayers, who was one of the stars of the Chicago Bears and one of the best football players in the late 1960s, has died at 77, the Hall of Fame reported on Wednesday. the NFL.
Sayers had been living with a form of dementia since 2013 and his health had been declining for several years.
Nicknamed the "Kansas comet" where he was born and made his university career, he was very early the author of resounding exploits in the NFL, since during his rookie season (beginner), the first among professionals, he managed to score 22 touchdowns.
That season, he also scored six touchdowns in a single game, tying the record.
In total, in 68 matches, he managed 56 touchdowns.
His career lasted only seven seasons as knee injuries ended it in 1971.
"Everyone who loves football mourns the loss of one of the greatest footballers to ever play the sport," said Hall of Fame chairman David Baker.
“He was the essence of a team player: calm, unpretentious and always ready to congratulate a teammate for a key block. Gale was an extraordinary man who overcame a lot of adversity over the course of his career and his life, ”he added.
Twice named best running back of the season, selected four times in the Pro Bowl - the All Star Game of the NFL - Sayers was inducted into the Hall of Fame at only 34 years old, a precocity record.
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