Ricky Sanders
A lightning-fast wide receiver whose explosive plays in the 'Fun and Gun' offense helped the Washington Redskins dominate the 1980s.
Born 1962 (age 64)·American football player·Birthday: August 30·Baby Boomers
Biography
Ricky Sanders emerged not from a major college football factory, but from the Southwest Texas State backfield, bringing track-star speed to the professional game. His career ignited in the pass-happy USFL with the Houston Gamblers, where he first showcased his deep-threat potential. That talent found its perfect home in Washington, where he joined the 'Posse' receiving corps alongside Art Monk and Gary Clark. Under coach Joe Gibbs, Sanders became a nightmare for defenses, his acceleration turning short passes into long touchdowns. His pinnacle moment was Super Bowl XXII, where he set a then-record 193 receiving yards, helping dismantle the Denver Broncos. Sanders’s style—a blend of raw speed and smooth route-running—epitomized the vertical attack that made Washington a powerhouse.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Ricky was born in 1962, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ricky Was Born
The biggest hits of 1962
#1 Movie
Lawrence of Arabia
Best Picture
Lawrence of Arabia
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Ricky's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1962Born
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1967Started school
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1975Became a teenager
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Could drive
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1980Could vote
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Turned 21
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1992Turned 30
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 40
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 50
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 60
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 64 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Set a Super Bowl record with 193 receiving yards in Washington's victory in Super Bowl XXII.
- Recorded over 1,000 receiving yards in three consecutive seasons (1988-1990) for Washington.
- Was a key member of Washington's 'Posse' receiving trio that led the team to a Super Bowl XXVI victory.
- Averaged an impressive 16.3 yards per reception over his 10-year NFL career.
Did You Know?
In high school, he didn't just play running back and safety; he was also the team's placekicker.
He was originally a 7th round draft pick by the New England Patriots in 1984 but chose the USFL.
He ran a 4.3-second 40-yard dash, which was elite speed even for NFL receivers of his era.
Before football, he was a standout track athlete in college, competing in sprints and the long jump.
“Speed is a weapon, but you have to run the right route.”
