70 Facts About Darren Sproles

Darren Lee Sproles was born on June 20,1983 and is an American football executive and former running back and return specialist who is a personnel consultant for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League.

Darren Sproles played college football at Kansas State, where he is the all-time leading rusher, and was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

Darren Sproles played for the New Orleans Saints and the Eagles.

Darren Sproles was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021.

Darren Sproles joined the New Orleans Saints in free agency before the 2011 season, and broke the NFL record for most single-season all-purpose yardage the same year, with 2,696 yards.

Darren Sproles is the first player in NFL history with 2,200+ all purpose yards in 4 different seasons.

Darren Sproles is ranked 5th in career all-purpose yards in NFL history.

Darren Sproles has been conquering a speech impediment he has had since childhood.

Darren Sproles was a high school All-American as selected by Student Sports Magazine.

Darren Sproles was the winner of Thomas A Simone Trophy, given to the top big-class football player in Kansas City metro area.

In 2000, during his senior year, Darren Sproles rushed for 2,485 yards, scoring 49 touchdowns.

Darren Sproles finished 2nd in the state in the 200 meters as a junior, with a time of 21.6 seconds.

Darren Sproles placed 4th at Class 6A States in 100 meters, with a time of 10.93 seconds, and 3rd in the 200 meters, with a time of 22.04 seconds.

Darren Sproles has achieved personal bests of 10.6 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.6 seconds in the 200 meters.

Darren Sproles played college football at Kansas State University from 2001 to 2004, starting all games in his last two seasons and setting 23 school records.

Darren Sproles finished with 28 carries for 210 rushing yards and one touchdown in six games.

Darren Sproles followed that up with 103 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns against Iowa State.

Darren Sproles led all FBS teams in rushing yards in 2003 with 1,986.

Darren Sproles started the 2004 season off strong with 42 carries for 221 yards and a touchdown in a victory over Western Kentucky.

Darren Sproles finished 11th on the all-time college rushing yards list, with the 6th most all-purpose yards in NCAA history.

Darren Sproles was inducted to the Kansas State Athletics Hall of Fame, leading the class of 2021.

Darren Sproles was drafted by the Chargers in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft with the 130th overall pick.

Darren Sproles spent the 2005 season as the third string running back, behind LaDainian Tomlinson and Michael Turner, returning kicks and punts.

Darren Sproles then spent the entire 2006 season on injured reserve list after breaking his ankle during the preseason.

Darren Sproles returned the opening kickoff 89 yards for the game's first score.

Darren Sproles became the first player to return a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown in the same game since Dante Hall did so in 2003.

On December 16,2007, Darren Sproles ran one yard for his first career rushing touchdown against the Detroit Lions.

Darren Sproles had 34 rushing yards in the AFC Championship loss to the New England Patriots in the next round.

On September 14,2008, Darren Sproles became just the second player in NFL history with 50 rushing yards, 50 receiving yards, and 100 return yards in one game.

Darren Sproles was named the NBC Sunday Night Football "Horse Trailer Player of the Game" for the second consecutive week.

The week following however, Darren Sproles was stopped by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Darren Sproles managed only 15 yards on 11 carries, but did have 5 receptions for 91 yards including a 62-yard touchdown.

Darren Sproles signed the tender on April 28,2009, which was worth $6.621 million.

Darren Sproles appeared in all 16 games and recorded 59 receptions for 520 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 50 carries for 267 rushing yards.

On July 29,2011, Darren Sproles signed a four-year contract worth $14 million with the New Orleans Saints.

On September 8,2011, during a game against the Green Bay Packers, Darren Sproles returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown during the second quarter, and returned a second punt for 20 yards; he had 2 kick-off returns for 83 yards, including a 57-yard return.

On September 25,2011, during a game against the Houston Texans, Darren Sproles had 193 all-purpose yards, with six receptions for 50 yards, two carries for 35 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown run, and on special teams, had four kick-off returns for 103 yards.

On October 23,2011, during a game against the Indianapolis Colts, Darren Sproles had 190 all-purpose yards with two touchdowns.

On December 26,2011, during a game against the Atlanta Falcons, Darren Sproles had 236 all-purpose yards.

Darren Sproles broke over 1,000 all-purpose yards in only his seventh game as a Saint.

Darren Sproles was ranked 86th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.

On November 2,2012, Saints interim head coach Joe Vitt announced that Darren Sproles would be out indefinitely due to a fractured hand.

Darren Sproles returned in Week 12 and played in the Saints' remaining games, finishing the season with 48 rushes for 244 yards and one touchdown, 75 catches for 667 yards and seven touchdowns, 18 kickoff returns for 483 yards, and 23 punt returns for 183 yards.

In 2013, Darren Sproles played in 15 regular season games, running for 220 yards and two touchdowns on 53 carries, making 71 catches for 604 yards and two touchdowns, 12 kickoff returns for 225 yards, and 29 punt returns for 194 yards.

Darren Sproles played in both of the Saints' playoff games, with seven runs for 31 yards and nine catches for 63 yards.

On March 13,2014, Darren Sproles was acquired by the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2014 5th-round draft pick.

Darren Sproles won NFC Offensive Player of the Week in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts, rushing for 26 yards and a touchdown on four carries and catching seven receptions for 152 yards, two of which were over 50 yards.

Darren Sproles earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for performances in Week 4 and Week 10.

In 2014, Darren Sproles played in 15 regular season games, running for 329 yards and six touchdowns on 57 carries, making 40 catches for 387 yards, one kickoff return for 15 yards, and 39 punt returns for 506 yards and two touchdowns, good for second place on the Eagles' all-time single-season punt return yards, and the most in the NFL in 2014.

Darren Sproles was named second team All-Pro as a return specialist, his first time on an All-Pro team.

Darren Sproles was ranked 81st by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2015.

Darren Sproles was named NFC Special Teams player of the week for returning a punt 89 yards for the touchdown.

Darren Sproles finished the regular season with three rushing touchdowns, one receiving touchdown, and two punt return touchdowns, leading the NFL for the second consecutive year.

Darren Sproles was selected to his second straight Pro Bowl, and was named First Team All-Pro, his second straight year as an All-Pro and his first first-team selection.

On July 29,2016, Darren Sproles signed a one-year $4.5 million contract extension with the Eagles through 2017.

Darren Sproles was an immediate weapon out of the backfield, catching 10 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown in the first three games of the season, however he was held to only 51 yards on 19 carries rushing in that same timespan.

Darren Sproles would retain the lead back role the following week against the New York Giants, rushing 13 times for 57 yards, catching three passes for 14 yards, and gaining 76 yards on two punt returns.

On September 25,2017, it was revealed that Darren Sproles suffered a broken arm and a torn ACL on the same play in a game against the New York Giants in Week 3.

Darren Sproles was officially placed on injured reserve that day, prematurely ending his season.

On July 15,2018, Darren Sproles announced that 2018 will be his last NFL season.

Darren Sproles returned in Week 13 to face the Washington Redskins and scored a rushing touchdown.

Darren Sproles added another receiving touchdown against the Houston Texans in Week 16.

Darren Sproles re-signed with the Eagles on a one-year contract on July 19,2019.

However Darren Sproles suffered a partially torn right hip flexor muscle and missed the next three games.

Darren Sproles returned in Week 9, but further aggravated the injury.

Darren Sproles was later revealed that he fully tore the muscle and was ruled out the rest of the season.

On December 21,2019, Darren Sproles announced that he would retire from the NFL following the 2019 season.

Darren Sproles was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-2010s Team.

On February 7,2020, Darren Sproles was hired as a personnel consultant in the Eagles' football operations department, alongside former teammate Brent Celek.

Darren Sproles maintains his off-season home near San Diego in Poway, California.