Hall of Fame tight end Charlie Sanders dies at age 68 | Football

Sanders had instant success at the pro level and helped transform the tight end position from what was predominantly a blocking role into one that served as an offensive threat.

“Just as on the field, Charlie Sanders is a fighter and he is going to fight to the end like any game, like any journey”, Sanders’ daughter, Charese Sailor, told Birkett this week.

“If there ever was an original Lion”, Thomas said in a private conversation, “it’s Charlie Sanders“. Sanders was affiliated with the Lions for 43 years, which is the most of anyone involved with the organization outside of long-time owner William Clay. “Charlie was a special person to the entire Lions family for almost a half century. While never forgetting his North Carolina roots, “Satch” became the consummate Detroit Lion on and off the field. He is one of eight tight ends now in the Hall of Fame. “He was always a believer that we could win. If you threw it to him he was going to find a way to catch it”.

Sanders and his broad smile were a part of the Lions since he was drafted in 1968 out of Minnesota.

He would, however, amass a prolific array of statistics, setting nearly every team record for the tight end position.

Born and raised in North Carolina, Sanders played his college football at Minnesota, where he was an All-Big Ten tight end and helped lead the Gophers to a share of the Big Ten title during his senior season in 1967. I was 18-years-old and was a ball boy for the Lions. But he was a great athlete that way, and he was a blocker.

The Detroit Lions great was diagnosed with cancer in November when doctors found a tumor in his right knee when he was being prepared for knee replacement surgery. Today we hang together, just you and me. He made 336 catches over his career, a team record that would stand for 20 years until Herman Moore passed him.

Sanders had never cut ties with the Lions — most recently working as assistant director of pro personnel — and was a fixture around the practice facility until recent months.

Walking into any situation, Sanders made people light up with happiness.

On the air, Sanders spent the 1997 season as a radio broadcaster on the team’s flagship station, WXYT.

Lions President Tom Lewand says Sanders was “one of the greatest Detroit Lions of all time”.

Last week, as Sanders was fighting cancer, his foundation presented a $3,000 check to the Wes Leonard Heart Foundation to provide automated external defibrillators to high schools.

“I think Charlie was pretty unique in his relationship with Mr. Ford”, Bing said.

Because the Detroit area had been home for Sanders since he was drafted by the Lions in 1968, he had friends all around the city. “For tomorrow is a day we may never see”.