Position | Wide Receiver
Born | Temple, Texas
Date-of-Birth | September 30,1962
Height | 5’11”
Weight | 180 lbs
College | Texas State (formerly Southwest Texas State)
NFL Career | 10 seasons Teams | Washington Redskins 1986-1993, Atlanta Falcons 1994, Miami Dolphins 1995, Atlanta Falcons 1995
Career Highlights
- Selected 16th overall by the New England Patriots in the 1984 USFL Supplemental Draft; his rights were later traded to Washington
- 2x NCAA Division II National Champion at Texas State (1981, 1982), earning championship game MVP in 1982
- 2x Super Bowl champion (XXII, XXVI)
- Set multiple Super Bowl records in Super Bowl XXII: 193 receiving yards, 235 total yards, and 168 receiving yards in a single quarter
- The only player in Super Bowl history to score two receiving touchdowns of 40-plus yards in the same game
- Formed “The Posse” alongside Art Monk and Gary Clark
- Tied the Redskins’ single-season receiving touchdown record with 12 (1988)
- Back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons (1988, 1989)
- Finished his Redskins career fifth all-time in franchise receiving yards
- Washington Redskins 70 Greatest
Awards
- Redskins team MVP, voted by teammates (1988)
- NCAA Division II Championship Game MVP (1982)
- All-Lone Star Conference Second Team (college)
Ricky Sanders Caught a Pass From the President, and Nearly Everything Else That Season
Ricky Sanders started his career as a college running back in Texas. He ended it as the man who caught a ceremonial pass from a sitting president, minutes after posting one of the greatest single-game performances in Super Bowl history.
From Belton to Back-to-Back Titles
Sanders grew up in Temple, Texas, and starred at Belton High School in both football and track. He carried the ball, not caught it, at Southwest Texas State University, now Texas State.
He helped the Bobcats to back-to-back NCAA Division II national championships in 1981 and 1982, earning championship game MVP honors in the second title run. He finished his college career among the program’s all-time leading rushers.
A Star Is Made in the USFL
Sanders’ path to the NFL ran through the short-lived USFL. He signed with the Houston Gamblers in 1984, teaming up with quarterback Jim Kelly in one of the most explosive passing offenses professional football had ever seen. Playing alongside future NFL names like Clarence Verdin and Gerald McNeil, Sanders caught over 100 passes across his two USFL seasons.
The New England Patriots selected him 16th overall in the 1984 Supplemental Draft, but when the USFL folded, Washington acquired his rights and signed him in 1986.
Nine Catches That Made History
Sanders’ breakout came in Super Bowl XXII. With starting quarterback Jay Schroeder injured, Doug Williams took over and leaned on Sanders’ speed all afternoon. Sanders caught nine passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns, adding three kickoff returns for good measure, as Washington routed Denver 42-10.
He set Super Bowl records for receiving yards, total yards, and receiving yards in a single quarter. He remains the only player in Super Bowl history to score two touchdowns of 40 or more yards in the same game.
The moment produced one more piece of history. During Washington’s White House celebration, President Ronald Reagan called Sanders up and completed a short ceremonial pass to him in front of a massive crowd, cementing the feat in franchise lore.
Sustained Stardom
Sanders followed his Super Bowl performance with the best season of his career in 1988, catching 73 passes for 1,148 yards and tying the franchise’s single-season touchdown reception record with 12. He backed it up with another 1,000-yard season in 1989.
Known as “Slick Rick,” he formed a genuine triple threat alongside Art Monk and Gary Clark, a trio fans and media dubbed “The Posse.” In 1989, all three members had over 1000 yards receiving – a feat managed just four times in NFL history.
Washington even drafted Heisman winner Desmond Howard, but Howard never managed to take Sanders’ job.
Sanders won his second championship ring in Super Bowl XXVI, contributing a key 41-yard catch against his former USFL teammate, Jim Kelly.
Life After Washington
Washington released Sanders in February 1994. He spent his final two NFL seasons bouncing between the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins, briefly reuniting with former Redskins teammate Gary Clark in Miami.
He finished his NFL career with 483 catches for 6,477 yards. Some outside sources cite higher career totals, but those figures typically blend in his USFL production with the Gamblers rather than reflecting NFL stats alone.
A Career Still Awaiting Full Recognition
Speaking to the Washington Times in 2015 from his home outside Houston, Sanders reflected candidly on life after football and on one lingering absence from his résumé: he has never been inducted into Washington’s Ring of Fame, despite two championship rings and a receiving resume that ranks among the best in franchise history.
He remains on the team’s 70 Greatest Redskins list, a real honor, but one that still falls short of the recognition many fans believe his Super Bowl XXII performance alone should have earned him.
Career Statistics
NFL Stats
| Team | Year | G | Rec | Yds | Y/R | Lng | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 1986 | 10 | 14 | 286 | 20.4 | 71 | 2 |
| Washington | 1987 | 12 | 37 | 630 | 17.0 | 57 | 3 |
| Washington | 1988 | 16 | 73 | 1,148 | 15.7 | 55 | 12 |
| Washington | 1989 | 16 | 80 | 1,138 | 14.2 | 68 | 4 |
| Washington | 1990 | 16 | 56 | 727 | 13.0 | 38 | 3 |
| Washington | 1991 | 16 | 45 | 580 | 12.9 | 45 | 5 |
| Washington | 1992 | 15 | 51 | 707 | 13.9 | 62 | 3 |
| Washington | 1993 | 16 | 58 | 638 | 11.0 | 50 | 4 |
| Atlanta | 1994 | 14 | 67 | 599 | 8.9 | 28 | 1 |
| Atlanta | 1995 | 3 | 2 | 24 | 12.0 | 21 | 0 |
| Career Total | 10 seasons | 134 | 483 | 6,477 | 13.4 | 71 | 37 |
G = Games played, Rec = Receptions, Yds = Receiving yards, Y/R = Yards per reception, Lng = Longest reception, TD = Receiving touchdowns. NFL stats only — excludes Sanders’ 1984-1985 seasons with the USFL’s Houston Gamblers. Stats via Pro Football Reference.
USFL Stats
| Team | Year | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | 1984 | 101 | 1,378 | 13.6 | 11 |
| Houston | 1985 | 48 | 538 | 11.2 | 7 |
| USFL Total | 2 seasons | 149 | 1,916 | 12.9 | 18 |
Rec = Receptions, Yds = Receiving yards, Y/R = Yards per reception, TD = Receiving touchdowns. The Houston Gamblers played both seasons in the USFL. 1984 figures are directly sourced; 1985 figures are calculated by subtracting the confirmed 1984 stats from the confirmed 2-year career total, since a standalone 1985 breakdown wasn’t available. Sanders teamed with quarterback Jim Kelly during both seasons. Career total sourced via the-hogs.net archive (2006) and Texas State Athletics.
