In his seventh season playing in the NFL, his first with New Orleans, Saints running back Darren Sproles has cemented himself as a viable threat in three different phases of the game. An unlikely force as the shortest player currently in the league at 5’6” and only 190 lbs., Sproles has made a much bigger impact than what his size implies. As the Saints pursue their second Super Bowl title in three years, Darren Sproles is certain to be a factor in one phase of the game or another…or all three.
Although listed as a running back, Sproles has compiled a strong stat sheet in rushing, receiving, and kick/punt returning alike. In the 2011 regular season, he rushed for 603 yards on 87 carries, caught 86 passes for 710 receiving yards, returned 29 punts for 294 yards, one taken back for a touchdown, and ran back 40 kicks for 1,089 yards, accounting for 10 total touchdowns on the year. Although dangerous in all areas, Sproles has increasingly been targeted as a receiver by quarterback Drew Brees, especially when in the red zone. When he became a member of the Saints, not even he thought his role would be as significant as it has turned out to be. “I was thinking that my job would just be the third downs,” said Sproles, “It’s an adjustment … I like my role though.”
This season has been a record-setting one for Sproles in the process. He set the NFL record for most all-purpose yards in a season with 2,696, leading the NFL in total all-purpose yards since 2007. The running back also found himself on the receiving end of the nine-yard touchdown pass that broke Dan Marino’s single-season passing yardage record for QB Drew Brees in week 16 against the Atlanta Falcons.
For his career, he has rushed for 1,757 yards and eight rushing touchdowns on 336 carries. Even more impressive, he has caught 232 passes for 2,110 receiving yards and 18 TDs.
Sproles’ dynamic skill set presents many challenges for opposing players and coaches. “I don’t know what a good matchup is against Darren Sproles … He’s an electrifying football player and a challenge to cover,” admitted former St. Louis Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo.
In the first round of the playoffs last weekend, a 45-28 victory over the Detroit Lions, Sproles recorded his first two postseason touchdowns as a member of the Saints, and his first playoff TDs in three seasons. He rushed for 51 yards on 10 carries, his two scores coming on a two-yard run in the second quarter and a 17-yard dash in the fourth, also recording four receptions for 34 yards.
Darren Lee Sproles was born on June 20, 1983 in Waterloo, Iowa. Raised in Kansas for most of his childhood, he was named Kansas Player of the Year as a high school senior before attending Kansas State University. At KSU, he finished fifth in Heisman voting in 2003 and is currently sixth in NCAA history for total all-purpose yards, graduating with a degree in criminal justice. Sproles was drafted 130th overall in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers, with whom he spent his entire career until joining the Saints prior to this season. He recently married his longtime girlfriend Michel and the couple has one son, Devyn.
Sproles has also overcome his share of challenges in life, in addition to his small stature. A very difficult time came when his mother, Annette, passed away from cancer at the age of 41. His mother’s passing was a major reason why Sproles stayed in school to earn his degree, as his mom wanted so badly for him to graduate college. He has since worn a charm that reads “R.I.P. Mom” to honor her memory. He has also had to overcome a stuttering disability that he has dealt with since the age of four. Even with the constant obstacles facing him, Sproles brushes it off, saying, “It’s always fun to prove people wrong. No matter what I do, people are going to say there’s something that I can’t do. I like showing them I can.” With a winning attitude and a strong work ethic, he has accomplished much to disprove his critics.
Darren Sproles’ next opportunity to do so will come this weekend when the Saints travel to Candlestick Park in San Francisco to face the 49ers in the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs, with a spot in the NFC Championship game on the line. When asked about the matchup, Sproles answered, “They have a great defense. We have to get ready for them. We are going to get back to the drawing board this week and we will get ready for them.”
Sproles provides a perfect example to show that no matter how much shorter and smaller you are than everyone else, the entire league in his case, even the little, underestimated guy can break records and accomplish extraordinary feats in order to become a force to be reckoned with at the highest level of competition; all it takes is a lot of hard work and determination to achieve greatness.
