“It was a wonderful experience to play in the NFL, and I have no regrets. I truly will miss playing for the Lions. I consider the Lions’ players, coaches, staff, management and fans my family. I leave on good terms with everyone in the organization.”

Shortly after the end of last season, I felt that I probably would not return for the 1999-2000 season. I also felt that I should take as much time as possible to sort through my feelings and make sure that my feelings were backed with conviction.

I want to thank all of the fans and media who made playing in the NFL such a wonderful experience. I have had the pleasure of meeting many of them.

The game is the ultimate significance to me because it is so important to a lot of people. It has left a mark on our culture to be voted as one of the best to ever play.

Running back was always my favorite position.

I don’t want to get too detailed into it, but when you’re a good high school running back, you can almost be whatever type of runner you want to be. If you’re a good size and a good athlete, you can be whatever type of runner you want.

A lot of times I did lose yards on a run, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.

I sat behind Thurman Thomas for my first couple of years, then my first year starting I won the Heisman. After I won the Heisman, that’s when things changed as far as going to the NFL.

As a kid, I played my share of football in the street or in a vacant lot.

Christianity affects your whole life. I feel I’m more competitive, a better player, but off the field is where there is always a battle.

See God gave us the talent, but the devil make us famous.

You can look at everything from pre-Heisman to post-Heisman, and I think that’s why it ranks up at the top, because before then, I didn’t even think I was good enough to be a professional ballplayer.

It’s probably similar to being in New York City and having a cab driver behind you and you’re driving too slow. It’s not the most pleasant thing.

And we shout with the others, When we should keep our mouths shut. Why? After all, we do only go around once. There’s really no time to be afraid. JUST DO IT.

I just felt like I had run out of steam. I just felt like it was my time.

As a kid, I played my share of football in the street or in a vacant lot. When we were playing in the street, it was more touch football, so we didn’t hit each other into cars.

According to the United Nations’ latest count, of the approximately 3,000 languages spoken in the world today, only some 78 have a literature. Of those 78, a scant five or six enjoy a truly international audience.

A lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of a sheep.

There are many statues of men slaying lions, but if only the lions were sculptors there might be quite a different set of statues.

The greatest fear in the world is of the opinions of others. And the moment you are unafraid of the crowd you are no longer a sheep, you become a lion. A great roar arises in your heart, the roar of freedom.

When people talk about South Africa, it’s all about lions and elephants. But when we talk about India, we talk about tigers.

Take action in silence, No lion attacks in noise.

A lion on the creep looking for his next kill!

Insanity is coasting through life in a miserable existence when you have a caged lion locked inside and the key to release it.

I would rather obey a fine lion, much stronger than myself, than two hundred rats of my own species.