BREAKFAST CLUB OF GRAND RAPIDS
Established 1936 – John A. Collins, President
EMBASSY SUITES BY HILTON, GRAND RAPIDS DOWNTOWN
Big E's Sports Grille
710 Monroe Avenue NW, Grand Rapids
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2026 – 7:00 AM
It's one of the most spirited debates in all of sports — and this month, Jeff Kissinger is stepping up to make the case for a player who left fans, defenders, and even his own teammates shaking their heads in disbelief on a weekly basis.
Barry Sanders was unlike anything the game had ever seen. Elusive, explosive, and almost impossibly humble, he played the position with a style that was entirely his own. He didn't just beat defenses — he embarrassed them. Yet for all his brilliance, the full scope of what he accomplished is still underappreciated by many fans today.
Jeff's presentation will lay out the argument from the ground up — making the statistical, historical, and eye-test case for why Barry Sanders deserves to sit at the very top of the conversation.
Come ready to listen. Come ready to debate. Come ready to change your mind.
Invocation: Eric Nelson Introduction: Paul Chardoul
NFL Players Quotes on Barry Sanders
"Barry had not only the best chance of getting the record, but blowing the record way out, setting it in the 20,000-mark area. I felt very confident he had the ability to do so, and I thought he was going to do it." ~ Emmitt Smith - NFL's All-Time Leading Rusher, Hall of Famer
"He would still be, I think, probably one of the greatest, if not the greatest player, that has played the position." ~ Eric Dickerson — Hall of Fame Running Back, Former NFL Single-Season Rushing Record Holder
"Barry is exceptional in the way he runs. He's very efficient, has great vision... talk about power." ~ Terrell Davis — Hall of Fame Running Back, Super Bowl MVP
