Biography

Call 1.800.966.1380 to contact Billy Sims booking agent, publicist, manager, pr firm, representative and management company if you would like to hire Billy Sims for a speaker appearance, autograph signing, endorsement deal or corporate event. Here you can find speaker fees, booking fees, costs, availability and schedule information. NFL running back, Billy Sims. was born on September 18, 1955 in St. Louis, Missouri. Sims is a former college football and NFL running back. He won the Heisman Award and the Davey O'Brien Memorial Trophy.

In 1975, Billy Sims was recruited to the University of Oklahoma by Barry Switzer. After injuries kept him out of the line-up for most of his freshman and half of his sophomore seasons (rushing for only 545 yards in two seasons plus one game of 1976), in his junior season he cut loose, picking up 1,762 yards on 231 carries for an amazing average of 7.6 yards per carry (160.1 yards and 10.9 points per-game) for the regular season. Including the post-season Sims had 1,896 yards, a total yardage school record that stood until 2004 when freshman Adrian Peterson tallied up 1,925. In 1978 Sims was awarded the Heisman Trophy, becoming only the sixth junior to do so. He was runner up the following season in 1979. In 1978, Sims was also awarded the Davey O'Brien Memorial Trophy which was given to the most outstanding player in the now-defunct Southwest Conference. He led the nation in rushing with 1,896 yards and had 22 touchdowns. He also became the first running back in Big 8 Conference (now merged to form the Big 12 Conference) history to rush for 200-yards in three consecutive games, and had four 200-yard games in a single season.

After losing to the University of Arkansas 31-6 in 1978, Sims led the Sooners to two consecutive Orange Bowl titles in three straight appearances. In the Orange Bowl following the 1978 season, he scored two touchdowns in a 31-24 win over the University of Nebraska. In 1979 against then-unbeaten Nebraska, who had the No. 1 rushing defense in the country at the time, Sims ran for 247 yards and helped the Sooners to a 17-14 win. In his final game as a Sooner, he helped defeat Florida State University, 24-7, rushing for 164 yards. He ended his career at OU with 3,813 yards; most of those yards came in his final two seasons.

Sims was the first overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft. He spent five years with the Detroit Lions, making the Pro Bowl in 1980, 1981, and 1982. Sims led the Lions to the playoffs in 1982 and 1983 but they lost in the first round both times. Sims finished his career with 1131 carries for 5106 yards (4.5 yards per carry), and 186 receptions for 2072 yards (11.1 yards per catch). His career ended midway through the 1984 season when he suffered a knee injury in a game against the Minnesota Vikings. Sims remains a beloved former sports figure in Detroit, where his number 20 would be worn five years after his retirement by Barry Sanders.

Sims now serves as a vice president with AmericaCan, a non-profit organization, and as part owner of Billy Sims Barbecue. Sims also makes appearances for sports marketing firms.

Billy Sims BBQ was founded by Sims and Jeff Jackson, owner of Sports Fan-Attic sports memorabilia stores in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. The restaurants are decorated with various pieces of OU and Detroit Lions nostalgia spanning the career of both Sims and other football greats. The restaurants were featured in the July 2007 edition of Sports Illustrated in an article about former sports stars who now own restaurants. All locations are in Oklahoma in Broken Arrow, Tulsa, Edmond, Duncan, and Davis, with ongoing renovations to open another in Sapulpa, Oklahoma

In 2007, a bronze statue of Sims was dedicated on the University of Oklahoma campus in Heisman Park, commemorating his 1978 award.

Billy Sims was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995.