Sammy Winder ranks in the all-time elite tier for running backs β a career that places Winder in the top 10% of all players at the position. The Knox value model assigns Winder a career score of 72, reflecting sustained impact that most players at the position never approach.
Sammy Winder
All-Time Rank & Honors
career ranks, postseason ranks, awards, title context2x
Pro Bowls
A high-end running back defined as much by exceptional availability β almost never missed time as by their on-field impact (top 10% all-time). Coaches and teammates could count on them being available.
Career Value Β· VORP
VORP 169 Β· #529 Β· High-ValueWorth 169 points of value above a freely-available replacement running back β top 12% of all 4,642 ranked at the position. 9 of 9 seasons cleared the replacement bar, by +18.8 on average.See board β
Seasons above replacement
9 cleared
Beat replacement (adds to VORP) Below it β adds 0, never a debit
50
Replacement
the KC-H bar
β
9
Seasons over
cleared the bar
Γ
+18.8
Avg surplus
peak +32
9 seasons Γ ~18.8 surplus β VORP 169
Combined Season Grid
The full season-by-season grids, joined on one timeline. Every selected stat family stays visible at onceβno tab hopping.
2 grids split in one view
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | TD | Y/A | TD% | 1D | 1D% | Fmb | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Ctch% | Y/R | Y/Tgt | AirYd/T | 1D | |||||
| 1982 | β | DEN | 8 | β | 67 | 259 | 1 | 3.9 | 1.5 | β | β | β | β | 11 | 83 | 0 | β | 7.5 | β | β | β |
| 1983 | β | DEN | 14 | β | 196 | 757 | 3 | 3.9 | 1.5 | β | β | β | β | 23 | 150 | 0 | β | 6.5 | β | β | β |
| 1984 | β | DEN | 16 | β | 296 | 1,153 | 4 | 3.9 | 1.4 | β | β | β | β | 44 | 288 | 2 | β | 6.5 | β | β | β |
| 1985 | β | DEN | 14 | β | 199 | 714 | 8 | 3.6 | 4.0 | β | β | β | β | 31 | 197 | 0 | β | 6.4 | β | β | β |
| 1986 | β | DEN | 16 | β | 240 | 789 | 9 | 3.3 | 3.8 | β | β | β | β | 26 | 171 | 5 | β | 6.6 | β | β | β |
| 1987 | β | DEN | 12 | β | 196 | 741 | 6 | 3.8 | 3.1 | β | β | β | β | 14 | 74 | 1 | β | 5.3 | β | β | β |
| 1988 | β | DEN | 16 | β | 149 | 543 | 4 | 3.6 | 2.7 | β | β | β | β | 17 | 103 | 1 | β | 6.1 | β | β | β |
| 1989 | β | DEN | 16 | β | 110 | 351 | 2 | 3.2 | 1.8 | β | β | β | β | 14 | 91 | 0 | β | 6.5 | β | β | β |
| 1990 | β | DEN | 15 | β | 42 | 120 | 2 | 2.9 | 4.8 | β | β | β | β | 17 | 145 | 0 | β | 8.5 | β | β | β |
| Career | β | 127 | β | 1,495 | 5,427 | 39 | 3.6 | 2.6 | β | β | β | β | 197 | 1,302 | 9 | β | 6.6 | β | β | β | |
Passing
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Cmp | Att | Cmp% | Yds | TD | Int | TD% | Int% | Y/A | AdjY/A | TD:INT | Rate | Sk | VAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | β | β | 39.6 | β | 108.2 |
Rushing
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Att | Yds | TD | Y/A | TD% | 1D | 1D% | Fmb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 23 | DEN | 8 | β | 67 | 259 | 1 | 3.9 | 1.5 | β | β | β |
| 1983 | 24 | DEN | 14 | β | 196 | 757 | 3 | 3.9 | 1.5 | β | β | β |
| 1984 | 25 | DEN | 16 | β | 296 | 1,153 | 4 | 3.9 | 1.4 | β | β | β |
| 1985 | 26 | DEN | 14 | β | 199 | 714 | 8 | 3.6 | 4.0 | β | β | β |
| 1986 | 27 | DEN | 16 | β | 240 | 789 | 9 | 3.3 | 3.8 | β | β | β |
| 1987 | 28 | DEN | 12 | β | 196 | 741 | 6 | 3.8 | 3.1 | β | β | β |
| 1988 | 29 | DEN | 16 | β | 149 | 543 | 4 | 3.6 | 2.7 | β | β | β |
| 1989 | 30 | DEN | 16 | β | 110 | 351 | 2 | 3.2 | 1.8 | β | β | β |
| 1990 | 31 | DEN | 15 | β | 42 | 120 | 2 | 2.9 | 4.8 | β | β | β |
| Career | 127 | 1,495 | 5,427 | 39 | 3.6 | β | β | β | β |
Receiving
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Ctch% | Y/R | Y/Tgt | AirYd/T | 1D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 23 | DEN | 8 | β | β | 11 | 83 | 0 | β | 7.5 | β | β | β |
| 1983 | 24 | DEN | 14 | β | β | 23 | 150 | 0 | β | 6.5 | β | β | β |
| 1984 | 25 | DEN | 16 | β | β | 44 | 288 | 2 | β | 6.5 | β | β | β |
| 1985 | 26 | DEN | 14 | β | β | 31 | 197 | 0 | β | 6.4 | β | β | β |
| 1986 | 27 | DEN | 16 | β | β | 26 | 171 | 5 | β | 6.6 | β | β | β |
| 1987 | 28 | DEN | 12 | β | β | 14 | 74 | 1 | β | 5.3 | β | β | β |
| 1988 | 29 | DEN | 16 | β | β | 17 | 103 | 1 | β | 6.1 | β | β | β |
| 1989 | 30 | DEN | 16 | β | β | 14 | 91 | 0 | β | 6.5 | β | β | β |
| 1990 | 31 | DEN | 15 | β | β | 17 | 145 | 0 | β | 8.5 | β | β | β |
| Career | 127 | β | 197 | 1,302 | 9 | β | 6.6 | β | β | β |
KV-H Anatomy
KV-H 72 Β· GreatA great career by KV-H: a peak-driven profile that scores 72 of 100, era-normalized against rush yds/g peers across 9 scored seasons.
69
Sustained
career value
Γ.6
78
Peak
best 3 seasons
Γ.4
Γ1
Longevity
career length
Blend 72.6 Γ longevity 1 = KV-H 72Β· confidence 100%
What builds the career mark of 69
On-field 50.3
Availability 18.7
On-field production Staying available
Season-by-season quality (era-relative rush yds/g)
1982bestavg 69elite 701990
All-Time Standing
how this career measures against the all-time greats at the position30
Depth
of 100
Reached 30% of the all-time Rushing Yards leader β a rotational/depth all-time profile at the position.
30% of the all-time Rushing Yards leader30
1 category β₯25% of the all-time leader33
A 0β100 scale where 100 = matched the all-time leaderat this position. Built only from visible encyclopedia data β career production vs. the all-time leader, plus efficiency (EPA) and comparable-player confidence β so it's a transparent context score, not a subjective rating. Tiers: Elite β₯ 85 Β· Strong β₯ 65 Β· Solid β₯ 45 Β· Depth < 45. Comparable-player confidence: 88%.
Career Aging Trajectory
vs. position group average Β· KV-H basisAmber = this player (normalized to own peak). Indigo = average RBs aging curve. Group peak age: 21. Source: StatVault KV-H era (1999+).
From Scrimmage Β· Career
Scrimmage Yds
6,729
5,427 rush Β· 1,302 recv
Total TDs
48
39 rush Β· 9 recv
Total Touches
1,692
1,495 carries Β· 197 rec
Yds / Touch
4.0
rushing + receiving
College stats are not imported for this profile yet.
StatVault has the verified college attribution (Southern Mississippi), but no parsed college box-score table is present in this profile artifact. The section stays here so every profile has a consistent college-stats landing point without fabricating unavailable rows.
Reference Graph
Career teammates and draft class, derived from year-by-year rosters β every name is linked.
Top Teammates
John ElwayQB8yGary KubiakQB8yClarence KayTE7yGerald WillhiteRB7yVance JohnsonWR6ySteve SewellRB6yMike HoranP5yMark JacksonWR5yOrson MobleyTE5yGene LangRB4yRicky NattielWR4yClint SampsonWR4yTyrone BraxtonS3yRick ParrosRB3ySteve AtwaterFS2yMike YoungWR2yMel BrattonFB2yShannon SharpeTE1yMark HerrmannQB1yRalph GiacomarroP1yKerry PorterFB1yChris VerhulstTE1yChris BrewerRB1yKen LanierOT1y
1982 Draft ClassΒ· this player went #131
Franchise Succession
the room, before and afterSammy inherited the Denver Broncos RB room from Gerald Willhite (1982β1988), and handed it to Gene Lang (1984β1987).
Similar Players
Statistical + physical similarity across every player in the database, position-relevant (0β100%).
Movementderived from season history
- 1990final season
Last recorded season with DEN
- 1982draft
Drafted by DEN β Round 5, Pick 131
Athletic & Unique Profile
verified measurements and curated source-tagged facts5'11" / 203 lb
Frame
Knox
StatVault's proprietary player intelligence, informed by full career data. How Knox works β
Historical Knox Β· KV-H
Era-normalized career quality β z-scored against 9-season peers. See all β
72
peak 78
Season Report CardsΒ· KV-H era-normalized per season
B1982
B+1983
A1984
B+1985
B+1986
B+1987
B1988
B1989
C+1990
Availability
Career durability β games played vs. scheduled, across 9 seasons.
93%
Era Translator
Rush Yds translated to the 2025NFL β each season's standing among its own-era peers, projected onto 2025's scoring environment. Modern-era (1999+) coverage.
| Season | Actual Rush Yds | Rush Yds/G | β 2025 Rush Yds | β 2025 /G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 259 | 32.4 | 677+418 | 39.8 |
| 1983 | 757 | 54.1 | 1,070+313 | 62.9 |
| 1984 | 1,153 | 72.1 | 1,510+357 | 88.8 |
| 1985 | 714 | 51 | 1,109+395 | 65.2 |
| 1986 | 789 | 49.3 | 1,118+329 | 65.8 |
| 1987 | 741 | 61.8 | 1,480+739 | 87 |
| 1988 | 543 | 33.9 | 897+354 | 52.7 |
| 1989 | 351 | 21.9 | 619+268 | 36.4 |
| 1990 | 120 | 8 | 333+213 | 19.6 |
Data: nflverse:draft_picks, nflverse:players, wikipedia:season-stats (CC-BY-SA, facts-only), nfl.com:official-stats (games-played, facts-only reference) Β· multi-source verified via the StatVault Oracle Β· updated 6/18/2026
Career Value Β· VORP
169 career value over replacement β #529 all-time of 4,642. 18.8/season above a replacement-level RB.
Draft OutcomeSteal β
Pick #131 (Rd 5) Β· DEN Β· 1982 Β· +38.5 vs expected KV-H
72actual
33.5 expected Β· Ξ+38.5
Fan Rating
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