Deion Sanders
Encyclopedia
Deion Luwynn Sanders (ˈdiːɒn; born August 9, 1967), nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion", is a former National Football League
cornerback
and Major League Baseball
outfielder
who currently works as an NFL Network
analyst. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
on August 6, 2011.
Sanders is considered one of the most versatile athletes in sporting history because he played two sports at multiple positions. In the NFL, he played primarily at cornerback, but also occasionally as a running back, wide receiver, kick returner, and punt returner. He played for the Atlanta Falcons
, the San Francisco 49ers
, the Dallas Cowboys
, the Washington Redskins
, and the Baltimore Ravens
, winning the Super Bowl
with both the 49ers and the Cowboys. In baseball, he played for the New York Yankees
, the Atlanta Braves
, the Cincinnati Reds
, and the San Francisco Giants
. He attended Florida State University
, where he excelled at both football
and baseball
.
. He attended North Fort Myers High School
in North Fort Myers, Florida, and was a letterman and credited All-State in football
, basketball, and baseball
. He was an All-State honoree in all three sports. In 1985, Sanders was named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team which selected the Top 33 players in the 100 year history of high school football in the state of Florida.
: football, baseball
, and track
. Beginning his freshman year, he started in the Seminoles' secondary, played outfield
for the baseball team that finished fifth in the nation, and helped lead the track and field team to a conference championship.
At Florida State University, under head coach
Bobby Bowden
, Sanders was a two time consensus All-American cornerback
in 1986 and 1987, and a third team All-American in 1988, intercepting
14 passes in his career, including three in bowl game
s, and managed to return one interception 100 yards for a touchdown
breaking Fred Biletnikoff's interception return record by one yard. He won the Jim Thorpe Award
in 1988. He was also a standout punt returner
for Florida State, leading the nation in 1988 with his punt return average, and breaking the school's record for career punt return yards. Based on those accolades, his jersey at Florida State, #2, was retired in 1995.
While playing baseball under head coach Mike Martin, at Florida State, Sanders hit .331 in 1986; he was known more for base stealing
, swiping 27 bags in 1987. Sanders was drafted while in college by the New York Yankees
(He also was selected by the Kansas City Royals
out of North Fort Myers High School, though he did not sign.)
Sanders once played the first game of a baseball doubleheader
, ran a leg of a 4x100 relay
, then returned to play another baseball game.
which premiered on June 24, 2008. As of September 24, 2011, Sanders had reportedly filed for divorce from his wife Pilar Biggers-Sanders; however, those reports turned out to be false.
Deion Sanders, along with J.M. Black, published his autobiography. Power, Money & Sex: How Success Almost Ruined My Life. World Publishing 1998. The book was inspired after he began counseling with Bishop T.D. Jakes. Sanders notes his agent Eugene E. Parker
as another person who also influenced his life.
in the 6th round of the 1985 draft
, but did not sign with them. He was drafted again in the 30th round of the 1988 draft
by the New York Yankees
and signed with the team on June 22. Sanders later signed with the Atlanta Braves
, and during his most productive year in the majors, the 1992 season, he hit .304
for the team, stole 26 bases, and led the NL
with 14 triples
in 97 games. During the 1989 season, he hit a major league home run
and scored a touchdown in the NFL in the same week, the only player to ever do so. Sanders is also the only man to play in both a Super Bowl
and a World Series
.
Sanders is known in Braves lore as the player who brought the "tomahawk chop". It was adopted by those fans, as Sanders, a Florida State alum, was familiar with the Seminoles War Chant. The tomahawk chop continues to be a rally gesture for Braves fans.
On May 22, 1990, Sanders became involved in a dispute with MLB catcher Carlton Fisk
. Sanders, a Yankee, started by stepping up to the plate with one out and a runner on third, drawing a dollar sign in the dirt before the pitch and then failing to run to first base after hitting a routine pop fly to shortstop, trotting back to the dugout instead. The Yankee fans booed, and Fisk, who was on the opposing Chicago White Sox, told Sanders to "run the fucking ball out" and called Sanders a "piece of shit." Later in the game, Sanders told Fisk that "the days of slavery are over." Fisk was furious. "He comes up and wants to make it a racial issue, there's no racial issue involved. There is a right way and a wrong way to play this game." The infamous incident was later recounted by Fisk on both ESPN Classic
and a CNBC
interview with Tim Russert
on his show
.
On July 31 of the 1991 MLB season
, Sanders hit a key three-run homer to spark a comeback win against the Pittsburgh Pirates
during the Braves' improbable run to the National League West Division title. However, he had to leave the Braves the very next day to report to the Atlanta Falcons
because of a clause in his NFL contract and missed the postseason. Before the 1992 season
, Sanders reworked his NFL deal whereby he still reported to the Falcons for training camp in August, but was allowed to rejoin the Braves for the postseason.
In four games of the 1992 World Series
, Sanders batted .533 with 4 runs
, 8 hits
, 2 doubles
, and 1 RBI
while playing with a broken bone in his foot. Despite Sanders's performance, the Braves ultimately lost to the Toronto Blue Jays
in six games. In Game 3, he narrowly avoided being a victim of what would have been only the second triple play in World Series history (following Bill Wambsganss
' unassisted triple play in 1920
). With Sanders on second base and Terry Pendleton
on first, David Justice
hit a deep fly ball to center field that Blue Jays center fielder Devon White unexpectedly caught with a leaping effort. Pendleton passed Sanders on the bases for the second out, but umpire Bob Davidson
called Sanders safe after he scampered back to second base. Replays showed that Toronto third baseman Kelly Gruber
tagged him on the heel before he returned to second.
In 1997
, Sanders finished 2nd in the NL with 56 stolen bases in 115 games while with the Cincinnati Reds
before leaving baseball for three years.
Sanders returned to the Reds
in 2001
, but was released after playing in only 29 games and batting just .173. Following his release from the Reds he signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays
triple-A affiliate, Syracuse Chiefs. Sanders was hitting .337 for Syracuse before the Washington Redskins found a loophole in his contract that said he could miss training camp and the first few games of the season if he were playing Major League Baseball. Since he was not currently on an MLB roster, Sanders had to leave Syracuse and return to the Redskins so he would not violate his NFL contract. But before arriving at training camp, Sanders informed Redskins personnel he was retiring from professional baseball. In his final professional baseball game, Sanders hit a solo home run and had an RBI single in Syracuse's 12-6 win over the Toledo Mud Hens
.
. He was the fifth pick overall in the 1989 NFL Draft
by the Atlanta Falcons
, where he played until 1993
. Sanders returned his first career punt return for a touchdown. During his time in Atlanta, he intercepted 24 passes (including a career high 7 in 1993), three of which he returned for touchdowns. In 1992
, he also led the league in kickoff return yards (1,067), yards per return (26.7) and return touchdowns (2). On October 11, 1992, Sanders played in a Falcons game at Miami and then flew to Pittsburgh, hoping to play in the Braves' League Championship Series game against the Pirates that evening and become the first athlete to play in two professional leagues in the same day. Sanders ultimately did not, however, appear in the baseball game that night. Over his five years with the Falcons, Sanders found his way to the end zone
ten times (three defensive, three kick returns, two punt returns, and two receptions).
with the San Francisco 49ers
, where he had arguably his best season as a professional football player, recording six interceptions and returning them for an NFL best 303 yards and three touchdowns. On October 16, 1994, Deion was the big story as he made his dramatic return to the Georgia Dome
in a 49er uniform. After getting into a scuffle with his former Falcon teammate Andre Rison
, Sanders intercepted a pass from quarterback Jeff George
and proceeded to return it 93 yards while mockingly staring down the entire Falcons sideline before high-stepping into the end zone. Sanders was later voted the 1994
NFL Defensive Player of the Year and recorded an interception in the 49ers 49–26 win over the San Diego Chargers
in Super Bowl XXIX
. After the season, Jerry Rice
and Sanders publicly feuded — Rice fumed at the idea that the media felt Sanders was the missing link to the 49ers Super Bowl run and that it was not giving credit to the other 52 men in the locker room.
, proceeded to court numerous teams in need of an All-Pro cornerback. The several teams in the "Deion Sweepstakes," as it was coined by the media, were the Philadelphia Eagles
, Oakland Raiders
, Miami Dolphins
, San Francisco 49ers
and the Dallas Cowboys
, who had lost their starting cornerback
Kevin Smith
to injury for the rest of the season.
On September 9, 1995 (which happened to fall in Week 2 of that NFL season), Sanders signed a lucrative contract with the Dallas Cowboys (seven years, $35 million with a $12.99 million signing bonus), essentially making him, at the time, the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. Sanders later stated in his book Power, Money & Sex: How Success Almost Ruined My Life that the Oakland Raiders offered him more money than any other team, but he chose to play in Dallas for more time on the offensive side of the ball, a chance to win back-to-back Super Bowls, and because of his friendship with Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin
. Arthroscopic surgery
kept him sidelined until his debut in Week 9, which was once again in Atlanta against the Falcons
, though this time Sanders' debut with his new team was not as dramatic as it was with the 49ers (the Cowboys won, 28 to 13). He went on to help the Cowboys
win their third Super Bowl title in four years in Super Bowl XXX
against the Pittsburgh Steelers
, where he returned a punt
for 11 yards and caught a 47-yard reception on offense, setting up Dallas' first touchdown of the game and a 27–17 victory. Sanders proceeded to play four more seasons with Dallas, earning Pro Bowl
berths in all of them, though the Cowboys would only win one playoff game (in 1996 against the Minnesota Vikings
) during that time.
owner Daniel Snyder
pursued Sanders along with other high priced free agents Mark Carrier and Bruce Smith. Sanders played one season with the Redskins, having four interceptions before retiring in 2001
. Late in the 2002 NFL season
Sanders contemplated a return to the NFL, specifically to the Oakland Raiders
. With his rights still the property of the Redskins, he lobbied and received his release from the team and was waived. The San Diego Chargers
claimed Sanders' rights and placed him on their Reserve-Retired List. Sanders opted to stay retired.
During the 2002 season, Sanders was a frequent guest commentator on Monday Night Football. On an amusing note, during a Monday Night Football game between Dallas and Washington that year, it was mentioned that Sanders, who was part of the broadcast team for the game, was still collecting salaries from both teams as part of the contracts he had held with each.
, Sanders announced that he was going to end his retirement, after being lured back to football by Ravens cornerback Corey Fuller
, linebacker Ray Lewis and best friend Joe Zorovich. He signed a 1-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens
to be a nickelback. Sanders chose to wear the number 37, which matched his age at the time, to preemptively let people know that he was well aware of his relative senior status as an NFL player (additionally, the number 21, used by Sanders throughout his career, was already being worn by Ravens Pro Bowl cornerback Chris McAlister
). Against the Buffalo Bills in Week 7 of 2004, Sanders scored his ninth career interception return touchdown, moving him into a tie for second place with Ken Houston
and Aeneas Williams
, and behind Rod Woodson
(with 12) for all-time in the statistical category.
In January 2006, after playing two seasons for Baltimore in which the Ravens did not qualify for the postseason, Sanders once again retired from the NFL and became an analyst for the NFL Network
.
Sanders also occasionally lined up with his team's offense. During the 1996 season
, Sanders skipped the baseball season
by concentrating strictly on football and attended the first NFL training camp of his career to better familiarize himself with the nuances of the wide receiver position. He became the second two-way starter (after the Cardinals' Roy Green) in the NFL since Chuck Bednarik
for the first half of the season due to Michael Irvin
serving a five game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse
policy.
During his career, Sanders intercepted 53 passes for 1,331 yards (a 25.1 yards per return average), recovered four fumbles for 15 yards, returned 155 kickoffs for 3,523 yards, gained 2,199 yards on 212 punt returns, and caught 60 passes for 784 yards. Sanders amassed 7,838 all-purpose yards and scored 22 touchdowns: nine interception returns, six punt returns, three kickoff returns, three receiving, and one fumble recovery. His 19 defensive and return touchdowns are an NFL record. He was selected to eight Pro Bowls in 1991
--1994
, 1996
–1999
. He was also awarded the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award
in 1994
.
Sanders also had a rushing TD in the playoffs (against the Philadelphia Eagles in January 1996). This makes him (including post season) one of only two players in NFL history (Bill Dudley
being the other) to score a touchdown six different ways (interception return, punt return, kickoff return, receiving, rushing, and a fumble recovery).
On February 6, 2011, at Super Bowl XLV
, Sanders performed the pre-game coin toss.
, Sanders was the host of Saturday Night Live
, broadcast on February 18, 1995.
Sanders has been in numerous television commercials for Nike
, Pepsi
, Burger King
, Pizza Hut
, and American Express
. He was most notable as the Road Runner
in a Pepsi ad with Wile E. Coyote, and in a Pizza Hut commercial where he responds to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones questions ("Football or baseball?" and "Offense or defense?") with "both!!", including the question "So what'll it be, Deion? $15...20 million?" Sanders pauses to think it over, and says, "Umm...both." He also makes a cameo
as himself in the film Celtic Pride
.
Sanders, known for his custom-made showy suits and flashy jewelry, frequently capitalized on his image. On December 26, 1994 Sanders released Prime Time, a rap album on Bust It Records (MC Hammer
's label) that featured the minor hit "Must Be The Money." "Prime Time Keeps on Tickin'" was also released as a single. Sanders, a friend of Hammer's, appeared in his "Too Legit to Quit" music video. His alter-ego "Prime Time" is also used in Hammer's "Pumps and a Bump
" video. Hammer, a big sports fan, had launched a new enterprise during his career called Roll Wit It Entertainment & Sports Management (which released DRS
' two-million-selling "Gangsta Lean
") and had clients such as Evander Holyfield
, Deion Sanders and Reggie Brooks
.http://books.google.com/books?id=v9MDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA118&lpg=PA118&dq=Louis+Burrell+mc+hammer+brother&source=bl&ots=osS4wR9l-C&sig=V_0Asey5McsBElhiRt5vFTnK26Y&hl=en&ei=76EFTaTvM-SJnAe2j7XlDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CDcQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=Louis%20Burrell%20mc%20hammer%20brother&f=false In 1995, Hammer released "Straight to My Feet" (with Deion Sanders) from the Street Fighter
soundtrack
(released in December 1994). The song charted #57 in the UK
.
After retiring from the NFL, Sanders worked as a sports pre-game commentator for CBS
' The NFL Today
until 2004
, when contract negotiations failed. Sanders turned down a 30% salary increase demanding to be paid $2.5 million, the highest of any NFL TV analyst. He was replaced by Shannon Sharpe
. During Sanders's run, he participated in several sketches. The first was "Primetime and 21st," a mock street corner where Sanders (not yet a regular panelist) would give his opinions. Another was his "Sanders Claus" persona, one of numerous sketches that involved young kids in football jerseys, representing NFL players, receiving a sarcastic gift from Sanders. Deion actually debuted as "Sanders Claus" in a set of Nike commercials. Still to this day Deion takes presents at Christmas time to local children's hospitals in his area dressed as "Sanders Claus".
Sanders frequently made guest appearances on ESPN
, especially on the ESPN Radio
Dallas affiliate, and briefly hosted a show called The New American Sportsman. He also hosted the 2002 Miss USA
pageant.
Sanders also was co-host of the 2004 GMA Music Awards
broadcast, taped in late April 2004, slated for an airing on UPN
in May 2004. When negotiations with fellow Viacom
property CBS failed (see above) two weeks before the broadcast, and he signed a deal with ESPN, UPN promptly canceled the broadcast, and the show aired on the i Network in December 2004 (both UPN and CBS are now owned by CBS Corporation
).
Sanders currently works at NFL Network
as an analyst on a number of the network's shows. Prior to the Sunday night game, Sanders, alongside host Rich Eisen and Steve Mariucci
, breaks down all the action from the afternoon matchups on NFL GameDay Highlights. At the conclusion of all the action on Sunday, Sanders, Mariucci, Michael Irvin and host Fran Charles recap the day’s action on NFL GameDay Final with highlights, analysis and postgame interviews. For the 2010 season, Sanders joined Eisen, Mariucci and Marshall Faulk
on the road for Thursday Night Kickoff Presented by Lexus, NFL Network’s two-hour pregame show leading into Thursday Night Football. The group broadcasts live from the stadium two hours prior to all eight live Thursday Night Football games and returns for the Sprint Halftime Show and Kay Jewelers Postgame Show. Sanders also has a segment called "Let's Go Primetime" on NFL Network
. In a notable incident in 2011, Joe Theismann
mistakenly pronounced Danny Woodhead's
name as "Danny Woodcock", causing Sanders to laugh hysterically and fall off his chair.
Sanders currently stars in his own reality show -- Deion & Pilar: Prime Time Love
-- centered around him, his wife, and their five children, all of whom live in the small town of Prosper, Texas
.
or bandana
" and for his "High-Stepping" into the end zone followed by his touchdown dance celebrations. At the same time, Sanders will also be remembered for being one of the most visible and outspoken football players to ever take the field due to his alter-ego, Prime Time. A marketing ploy as much as an alternate personality as it was given to him by a friend and high school teammate, Florida Gators
defensive back Richard Fain. The two played pickup basketball games together during the prime time
television hour, and Sanders' athletic display during those games won him that title. Once in the NFL, Sanders felt he deserved to be paid as much as NFL quarterbacks and in 1995 he used the "Prime Time" strategy to sign a seven-year, $35 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys (the contract was essentially five years, but was given a seven-year length for an easier cap hit and the signing bonus was $12,999,999.99, one cent under $13 million due to a superstition of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
). At one point, he was the highest paid defensive player in the league and set the benchmark price-tag for future "shut-down corners".
Prime Time was upset that he was placed #34 on the list of Top 100 NFL players and said that he should at least be in the top 10.
At the end of his Hall of Fame speech, he put a bandana on his bust.
on Capitol Records
in 1994. Sanders moved on to other ventures after his retirement. In 2003, Sanders took interest in Devin Hester
, a return specialist
from the University of Miami
Hurricanes
. Sanders mentored Hester, counseling and advising him during various points of his collegiate career. The Chicago Bears
drafted Hester in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft
. Since then, Hester has broken, tied, or approached many NFL return records. Hester has cited Sanders as one of his major inspirations and idols, and thanked him for his training and advice. Hester, also known as “Anytime,” occasionally performs Sanders’ signature touchdown dance and high-steps in homage to his mentor.
Sanders also tried to adopt a high school running back, Noel Devine
, who was one of the top recruits in 2007. Sanders was advised against this, but responded, "He doesn't have parents; they died. God put this young man in my heart. This is not about sports. This is about a kid's life." He now mentors Devine, and was a factor in Devine's extended wait to sign a letter-of-intent
to West Virginia University
. Devine eventually signed to play football for the Mountaineers
.
Sanders has also been the mentor to San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree
, as well as Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, Dez Bryant
.
In January 2004, Sanders was hired as an assistant coach to the Dallas Fury, a women's professional basketball
team in the National Women's Basketball League
, even though Sanders had never played organized basketball either in college or the professional level.
On September 2, 2005, in response to the after-effects of Hurricane Katrina
, Sanders challenged all professional athletes in the four major sports to donate $1,000
each to relief efforts, hoping to raise between $1.5 and $3 million total. Sanders said "Through unity, we can touch thousands....I have friends and relatives that feel this pain. Help in any way you can."
In April 2006, Sanders became an owner of the Austin Wranglers
, an Arena Football League team.
Sanders has occasionally served as a celebrity spokesperson, such as representing Monitronics
, a security system firm, at an industry conference in the spring of 2010.
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
and Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
who currently works as an NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
analyst. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
on August 6, 2011.
Sanders is considered one of the most versatile athletes in sporting history because he played two sports at multiple positions. In the NFL, he played primarily at cornerback, but also occasionally as a running back, wide receiver, kick returner, and punt returner. He played for the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, and the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
, winning the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
with both the 49ers and the Cowboys. In baseball, he played for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, and the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. He attended Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, where he excelled at both football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
.
High school years
Sanders was born in Fort Myers, FloridaFort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
. He attended North Fort Myers High School
North Fort Myers High School
North Fort Myers High School is an American 9-12 high school located in North Fort Myers, Florida. It is the official center for the arts and media for the West Zone in Lee County's School Choice Program; is part of the Lee County School District; and currently serves approximately 1550 students...
in North Fort Myers, Florida, and was a letterman and credited All-State in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, basketball, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. He was an All-State honoree in all three sports. In 1985, Sanders was named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team which selected the Top 33 players in the 100 year history of high school football in the state of Florida.
College career
Sanders was a star in three sports for Florida StateFlorida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
: football, baseball
Florida State Seminoles baseball
The Florida State Seminoles baseball team represents Florida State University in NCAA Division I college baseball and are one of the most successful collegiate baseball programs in the United States without a College World Series championship....
, and track
Florida State Seminoles track and field
The track and field team of Florida State University, currently coached by Bob Braman, competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference.-History:The FSU men's Track & Field team won the NCAA National Championship 3 times in a row...
. Beginning his freshman year, he started in the Seminoles' secondary, played outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
for the baseball team that finished fifth in the nation, and helped lead the track and field team to a conference championship.
At Florida State University, under head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Bobby Bowden
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
, Sanders was a two time consensus All-American cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
in 1986 and 1987, and a third team All-American in 1988, intercepting
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
14 passes in his career, including three in bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
s, and managed to return one interception 100 yards for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
breaking Fred Biletnikoff's interception return record by one yard. He won the Jim Thorpe Award
Jim Thorpe Award
The Jim Thorpe Award, named in memory of multi-sport legend Jim Thorpe, has been awarded to the top defensive back in college football since 1986...
in 1988. He was also a standout punt returner
Punt returner
Punt returner is a position on special teams in American football.-Description:The role of a punt returner is to catch the ball after it is punted and to give his team good field position by returning it. Before catching the punted ball, the returner must assess the situation on the field while...
for Florida State, leading the nation in 1988 with his punt return average, and breaking the school's record for career punt return yards. Based on those accolades, his jersey at Florida State, #2, was retired in 1995.
While playing baseball under head coach Mike Martin, at Florida State, Sanders hit .331 in 1986; he was known more for base stealing
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
, swiping 27 bags in 1987. Sanders was drafted while in college by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
(He also was selected by the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
out of North Fort Myers High School, though he did not sign.)
Sanders once played the first game of a baseball doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
, ran a leg of a 4x100 relay
4 x 100 metres relay
The 4 × 100 metres relay or sprint relay is an athletics track event run in lanes over one lap of the track with four runners completing 100 metres each. The first runners begin in the same stagger as for the individual 400 m race...
, then returned to play another baseball game.
Personal life
Sanders has been married twice — to Carolyn Chambers, with whom he has two children (Deion Jr. and Deiondra), and Pilar Biggers with whom he has 3 children (Shilo, Shedeur and Shelomi). Deion appeared with his family on the NBC show Celebrity Family FeudCelebrity Family Feud
Celebrity Family Feud is a spin-off game show created by NBC, and hosted by television weather anchor Al Roker. The announcer was Burton Richardson. Celebrity Family Feud pitted two families against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey-type question posed to 100...
which premiered on June 24, 2008. As of September 24, 2011, Sanders had reportedly filed for divorce from his wife Pilar Biggers-Sanders; however, those reports turned out to be false.
Deion Sanders, along with J.M. Black, published his autobiography. Power, Money & Sex: How Success Almost Ruined My Life. World Publishing 1998. The book was inspired after he began counseling with Bishop T.D. Jakes. Sanders notes his agent Eugene E. Parker
Eugene E. Parker
Eugene Parker, born February 24, 1956 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is the sports agent of Deion Sanders, Emmitt Smith, and many other NFL athletes. He has been named by Black Enterprise Magazines top 50 influential blacks in sports while also being known for the past two decades as owning one of the...
as another person who also influenced his life.
MLB career
Sanders played a nine-year, part-time baseball career, playing left and center field in 641 games with 4 teams. He was originally drafted by the Kansas City RoyalsKansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
in the 6th round of the 1985 draft
1985 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1985 Major League Baseball draft.-Background:Six of the first eight draft picks from the June regular phase had at least one full year of major league experience prior to the start of the 1987 season. Included in that list were...
, but did not sign with them. He was drafted again in the 30th round of the 1988 draft
1988 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1988 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental First Round Selections:-External links:*...
by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
and signed with the team on June 22. Sanders later signed with the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, and during his most productive year in the majors, the 1992 season, he hit .304
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
for the team, stole 26 bases, and led the NL
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
with 14 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
in 97 games. During the 1989 season, he hit a major league home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
and scored a touchdown in the NFL in the same week, the only player to ever do so. Sanders is also the only man to play in both a Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
and a World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
.
Sanders is known in Braves lore as the player who brought the "tomahawk chop". It was adopted by those fans, as Sanders, a Florida State alum, was familiar with the Seminoles War Chant. The tomahawk chop continues to be a rally gesture for Braves fans.
On May 22, 1990, Sanders became involved in a dispute with MLB catcher Carlton Fisk
Carlton Fisk
Carlton Ernest Fisk , nicknamed "Pudge" or "The Commander", is a former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 24-year baseball career, he played for both the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox .Fisk was known by the nickname "Pudge" due to his 6'2", 220 lb frame...
. Sanders, a Yankee, started by stepping up to the plate with one out and a runner on third, drawing a dollar sign in the dirt before the pitch and then failing to run to first base after hitting a routine pop fly to shortstop, trotting back to the dugout instead. The Yankee fans booed, and Fisk, who was on the opposing Chicago White Sox, told Sanders to "run the fucking ball out" and called Sanders a "piece of shit." Later in the game, Sanders told Fisk that "the days of slavery are over." Fisk was furious. "He comes up and wants to make it a racial issue, there's no racial issue involved. There is a right way and a wrong way to play this game." The infamous incident was later recounted by Fisk on both ESPN Classic
ESPN Classic
ESPN Classic is a sports channel that features reruns of famous sporting events, sports documentaries, and sports themed movies. Such programs includes biographies of famous sports figures or a rerun of a famous World Series or Super Bowl, often with added commentary on the event...
and a CNBC
CNBC
CNBC is a satellite and cable television business news channel in the U.S., owned and operated by NBCUniversal. The network and its international spinoffs cover business headlines and provide live coverage of financial markets. The combined reach of CNBC and its siblings is 390 million viewers...
interview with Tim Russert
Tim Russert
Timothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
on his show
Tim Russert (talk show)
Tim Russert was a weekend talk show that aired on CNBC and later MSNBC. It was hosted by Tim Russert.The program usually featured one long-form interview with an author or person in the news, with Russert and the guest sitting in a black studio at a table opposite each other...
.
On July 31 of the 1991 MLB season
1991 Major League Baseball season
-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player**Cal Ripken, Jr., Baltimore Orioles, SS **Terry Pendleton, Atlanta Braves, 3B *Cy Young Award**Roger Clemens, Boston Red Sox **Tom Glavine, Atlanta Braves *Rookie of the Year...
, Sanders hit a key three-run homer to spark a comeback win against the Pittsburgh Pirates
1991 Pittsburgh Pirates season
The 1991 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 110th in franchise history. For the second consecutive season, the Pirates won the National League East Division Title...
during the Braves' improbable run to the National League West Division title. However, he had to leave the Braves the very next day to report to the Atlanta Falcons
1991 Atlanta Falcons season
-Roster:-Schedule:-NFC Wild Card Game:Falcons quarterback Chris Miller completed the game-winning 61-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Michael Haynes with 2:41 left in the contest...
because of a clause in his NFL contract and missed the postseason. Before the 1992 season
1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
, Sanders reworked his NFL deal whereby he still reported to the Falcons for training camp in August, but was allowed to rejoin the Braves for the postseason.
In four games of the 1992 World Series
1992 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 17, 1992 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaBraves fans had plenty to worry about in regard to both starting pitchers. Tom Glavine's post-season career had been less than stellar, including giving up eight runs in the second inning of Game 6 of the NLCS...
, Sanders batted .533 with 4 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, 8 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, 2 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and 1 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
while playing with a broken bone in his foot. Despite Sanders's performance, the Braves ultimately lost to the Toronto Blue Jays
1992 Toronto Blue Jays season
The Toronto Blue Jays played their 16th season in Major League Baseball. Toronto finished first in the American League East for the 4th time with a record of 96 wins and 66 losses, closing the season with an attendance record of 4,028,318...
in six games. In Game 3, he narrowly avoided being a victim of what would have been only the second triple play in World Series history (following Bill Wambsganss
Bill Wambsganss
William Adolf Wambsganss was a second baseman in Major League Baseball. From 1914 through 1926, Wambsganss played for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, and Philadelphia Athletics...
' unassisted triple play in 1920
1920 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 5, 1920 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York-Game 2:Wednesday, October 6, 1920 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York-Game 3:Thursday, October 7, 1920 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York-Game 4:...
). With Sanders on second base and Terry Pendleton
Terry Pendleton
Terry Lee Pendleton is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball, and a former hitting coach and current first base coach of the Atlanta Braves. He played primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves, but he also spent time with the Florida Marlins, Cincinnati Reds, and Kansas...
on first, David Justice
David Justice
David Christopher Justice is a former outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , and Oakland Athletics .-Early life:David was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Robert and Nettie Justice...
hit a deep fly ball to center field that Blue Jays center fielder Devon White unexpectedly caught with a leaping effort. Pendleton passed Sanders on the bases for the second out, but umpire Bob Davidson
Bob Davidson (umpire)
Robert Allan Davidson is an umpire for Major League Baseball.-Early life:Bob Davidson graduated from Duluth East High School in Duluth, Minnesota in 1970. He attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth where he played baseball for two seasons. Davidson then left to pursue a professional umpiring...
called Sanders safe after he scampered back to second base. Replays showed that Toronto third baseman Kelly Gruber
Kelly Gruber
Kelly Wayne Gruber is a former Major League Baseball third baseman.-Early career:Gruber played baseball at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas where his number was later retired. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 1st round of the 1980 amateur draft but did not see time with the team...
tagged him on the heel before he returned to second.
In 1997
1997 Major League Baseball season
*American League Championship Series MVP: Marquis Grissom**American League Division Series*National League Championship Series MVP: Liván Hernández**National League Division Series...
, Sanders finished 2nd in the NL with 56 stolen bases in 115 games while with the Cincinnati Reds
1997 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds season consisted of the Cincinnati Reds attempting to win the National League Central. The Reds were managed by Ray Knight and Jack McKeon.-Offseason:*December 13, 1996: Pete Rose, Jr...
before leaving baseball for three years.
Sanders returned to the Reds
2001 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds' 2001 season consisted of the Cincinnati Reds attempting to win the National League Central. The Reds were managed by Bob Boone.-Offseason:...
in 2001
2001 Major League Baseball season
The Major League Baseball season finished with the Arizona Diamondbacks defeating the New York Yankees in a Game 7 of the 2001 World Series. The attacks of September 11 pushed the end of the regular-season from September 30 to October 7. Because of that, the World Series was not completed until...
, but was released after playing in only 29 games and batting just .173. Following his release from the Reds he signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
triple-A affiliate, Syracuse Chiefs. Sanders was hitting .337 for Syracuse before the Washington Redskins found a loophole in his contract that said he could miss training camp and the first few games of the season if he were playing Major League Baseball. Since he was not currently on an MLB roster, Sanders had to leave Syracuse and return to the Redskins so he would not violate his NFL contract. But before arriving at training camp, Sanders informed Redskins personnel he was retiring from professional baseball. In his final professional baseball game, Sanders hit a solo home run and had an RBI single in Syracuse's 12-6 win over the Toledo Mud Hens
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
.
Atlanta Falcons
Sanders' professional football career started the same year as his baseball career, 19891989 NFL season
The 1989 NFL season was the 70th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced his retirement...
. He was the fifth pick overall in the 1989 NFL Draft
1989 NFL Draft
The 1989 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24 , 1989...
by the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, where he played until 1993
1993 NFL season
The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new...
. Sanders returned his first career punt return for a touchdown. During his time in Atlanta, he intercepted 24 passes (including a career high 7 in 1993), three of which he returned for touchdowns. In 1992
1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
, he also led the league in kickoff return yards (1,067), yards per return (26.7) and return touchdowns (2). On October 11, 1992, Sanders played in a Falcons game at Miami and then flew to Pittsburgh, hoping to play in the Braves' League Championship Series game against the Pirates that evening and become the first athlete to play in two professional leagues in the same day. Sanders ultimately did not, however, appear in the baseball game that night. Over his five years with the Falcons, Sanders found his way to the end zone
End zone
In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field...
ten times (three defensive, three kick returns, two punt returns, and two receptions).
San Francisco 49ers
After five seasons Sanders signed on to play one season1994 San Francisco 49ers season
The San Francisco 49ers 1994 season was the team's 49th season in the National Football League, and was highlighted by a victory in Super Bowl XXIX. The championship made San Francisco the first team to win five Super Bowls. After losing to the Dallas Cowboys in the previous two conference...
with the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, where he had arguably his best season as a professional football player, recording six interceptions and returning them for an NFL best 303 yards and three touchdowns. On October 16, 1994, Deion was the big story as he made his dramatic return to the Georgia Dome
Georgia Dome
The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...
in a 49er uniform. After getting into a scuffle with his former Falcon teammate Andre Rison
Andre Rison
Andre Previn Rison is a retired American football wide receiver who played professionally for the National Football League's Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, and the Canadian Football League's...
, Sanders intercepted a pass from quarterback Jeff George
Jeff George
Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" George is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts with the first overall pick of the 1990 NFL Draft...
and proceeded to return it 93 yards while mockingly staring down the entire Falcons sideline before high-stepping into the end zone. Sanders was later voted the 1994
1994 NFL season
The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season...
NFL Defensive Player of the Year and recorded an interception in the 49ers 49–26 win over the San Diego Chargers
1994 San Diego Chargers season
-Schedule:-Playoffs:-References:...
in Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game played on January 29, 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1994 regular season...
. After the season, Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
and Sanders publicly feuded — Rice fumed at the idea that the media felt Sanders was the missing link to the 49ers Super Bowl run and that it was not giving credit to the other 52 men in the locker room.
Dallas Cowboys
Following his successful season with the 49ers, Sanders, along with his agent Eugene ParkerEugene E. Parker
Eugene Parker, born February 24, 1956 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is the sports agent of Deion Sanders, Emmitt Smith, and many other NFL athletes. He has been named by Black Enterprise Magazines top 50 influential blacks in sports while also being known for the past two decades as owning one of the...
, proceeded to court numerous teams in need of an All-Pro cornerback. The several teams in the "Deion Sweepstakes," as it was coined by the media, were the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
and the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, who had lost their starting cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith (cornerback)
Kevin Rey Smith is a former professional American football player who played cornerback in the National Football League for nine seasons for the Dallas Cowboys.-High school career:...
to injury for the rest of the season.
On September 9, 1995 (which happened to fall in Week 2 of that NFL season), Sanders signed a lucrative contract with the Dallas Cowboys (seven years, $35 million with a $12.99 million signing bonus), essentially making him, at the time, the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. Sanders later stated in his book Power, Money & Sex: How Success Almost Ruined My Life that the Oakland Raiders offered him more money than any other team, but he chose to play in Dallas for more time on the offensive side of the ball, a chance to win back-to-back Super Bowls, and because of his friendship with Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin
Michael Irvin
Michael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his...
. Arthroscopic surgery
Arthroscopy
Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in which an examination and sometimes treatment of damage of the interior of a joint is performed using an arthroscope, a type of endoscope that is inserted into the joint through a small incision...
kept him sidelined until his debut in Week 9, which was once again in Atlanta against the Falcons
1995 Atlanta Falcons season
The Atlanta Falcons season was the team's 30th season in the National Football League. The Falcons qualified for the postseason.-Schedule:-Playoffs:- References :* *...
, though this time Sanders' debut with his new team was not as dramatic as it was with the 49ers (the Cowboys won, 28 to 13). He went on to help the Cowboys
1995 Dallas Cowboys season
The 1995 Dallas Cowboys season would mark their 36th in the NFL and final of the three Super Bowl titles they would win in the 1990s. Dallas would be the first team to ever win three Super Bowls in a span of four seasons...
win their third Super Bowl title in four years in Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX was an American football game played on January 28, 1996 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona to decide the National Football League champion following the 1995 regular season...
against the Pittsburgh Steelers
1995 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1995 season saw the Steelers return to the Super Bowl for the first time in sixteen years . The team's 11–5 finish was good enough for the AFC Central championship and the second seed in the conference...
, where he returned a punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
for 11 yards and caught a 47-yard reception on offense, setting up Dallas' first touchdown of the game and a 27–17 victory. Sanders proceeded to play four more seasons with Dallas, earning Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
berths in all of them, though the Cowboys would only win one playoff game (in 1996 against the Minnesota Vikings
1996 Minnesota Vikings season
1996 was the 36th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 77th regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings finished with a record of nine wins and seven losses.DraftRound 1 - Duane Clemons - LB - California...
) during that time.
Washington Redskins
After five seasons with the Cowboys, new Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
owner Daniel Snyder
Daniel Snyder
Daniel M. Snyder is the current owner of the Washington Redskins American football team, owner of the Dick Clark Productions television production company, and primary investor in Red Zebra Broadcasting, which is home to the Redskins Radio Network. Snyder has a net worth of $1.05 billion...
pursued Sanders along with other high priced free agents Mark Carrier and Bruce Smith. Sanders played one season with the Redskins, having four interceptions before retiring in 2001
2001 NFL season
The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...
. Late in the 2002 NFL season
2002 NFL season
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...
Sanders contemplated a return to the NFL, specifically to the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. With his rights still the property of the Redskins, he lobbied and received his release from the team and was waived. The San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
claimed Sanders' rights and placed him on their Reserve-Retired List. Sanders opted to stay retired.
During the 2002 season, Sanders was a frequent guest commentator on Monday Night Football. On an amusing note, during a Monday Night Football game between Dallas and Washington that year, it was mentioned that Sanders, who was part of the broadcast team for the game, was still collecting salaries from both teams as part of the contracts he had held with each.
Baltimore Ravens
In 20042004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
, Sanders announced that he was going to end his retirement, after being lured back to football by Ravens cornerback Corey Fuller
Corey Fuller
Corey Fuller , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2nd round of the 1995 NFL Draft. A 5'10", 209-lb...
, linebacker Ray Lewis and best friend Joe Zorovich. He signed a 1-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
to be a nickelback. Sanders chose to wear the number 37, which matched his age at the time, to preemptively let people know that he was well aware of his relative senior status as an NFL player (additionally, the number 21, used by Sanders throughout his career, was already being worn by Ravens Pro Bowl cornerback Chris McAlister
Chris McAlister
Christopher James McAlister is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona....
). Against the Buffalo Bills in Week 7 of 2004, Sanders scored his ninth career interception return touchdown, moving him into a tie for second place with Ken Houston
Ken Houston
Kenneth Ray Houston is a former American football defensive back in the American Football League and National Football League...
and Aeneas Williams
Aeneas Williams
Aeneas Demetrius Williams is a former American football cornerback and free safety, who played with the Arizona Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams. Williams attended Fortier High School, where he played football on a team with three future NFL players. Although he was admitted to Dartmouth College,...
, and behind Rod Woodson
Rod Woodson
Roderick Kevin "Rod" Woodson is the current cornerbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He is also a former defensive back best known for his 10-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers as well as being a key member of the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl XXXV championship...
(with 12) for all-time in the statistical category.
In January 2006, after playing two seasons for Baltimore in which the Ravens did not qualify for the postseason, Sanders once again retired from the NFL and became an analyst for the NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
.
Legacy
During his 14-year NFL career, Sanders was a perennial All-Pro and one of the most feared pass defenders to ever play the game. While critics argued that his tackling was poor and he was not much of a factor in run support, they could not deny his closing speed.Sanders also occasionally lined up with his team's offense. During the 1996 season
1996 NFL season
The 1996 NFL season was the 77th regular season of the National Football League and the season was marked by notable controversies from beginning to end...
, Sanders skipped the baseball season
1996 Major League Baseball season
*American League Championship Series MVP: Bernie Williams**American League Division Series*National League Championship Series MVP: Javy López**National League Division Series*All-Star Game, July 9 at Veterans Stadium: National League, 6-0; Mike Piazza, MVP...
by concentrating strictly on football and attended the first NFL training camp of his career to better familiarize himself with the nuances of the wide receiver position. He became the second two-way starter (after the Cardinals' Roy Green) in the NFL since Chuck Bednarik
Chuck Bednarik
Charles Philip Bednarik is a former professional American football player, known as one of the most devastating tacklers in the history of football and the last two-way player in the National Football League...
for the first half of the season due to Michael Irvin
Michael Irvin
Michael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his...
serving a five game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse
Substance abuse
A substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
policy.
During his career, Sanders intercepted 53 passes for 1,331 yards (a 25.1 yards per return average), recovered four fumbles for 15 yards, returned 155 kickoffs for 3,523 yards, gained 2,199 yards on 212 punt returns, and caught 60 passes for 784 yards. Sanders amassed 7,838 all-purpose yards and scored 22 touchdowns: nine interception returns, six punt returns, three kickoff returns, three receiving, and one fumble recovery. His 19 defensive and return touchdowns are an NFL record. He was selected to eight Pro Bowls in 1991
1991 Pro Bowl
The 1991 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 3, 1991 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was AFC 23, NFC 21. There were 50,345 people in attendance. Jim Kelly of the Buffalo Bills was the game's MVP. The referee was Gordon McCarter....
--1994
1994 Pro Bowl
The 1994 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 6, 1994 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was NFC 17, AFC 3. Andre Rison of the Atlanta Falcons was the game's MVP...
, 1996
1996 Pro Bowl
The 1996 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 4, 1996 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was NFC 20, AFC 13. Jerry Rice of the San Francisco 49ers was the game's MVP after he had 2 clutch catches, including the final one which won the game. He finished with six catches for 82...
–1999
1999 Pro Bowl
The 1999 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 7, 1999 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 23, NFC 10. Keyshawn Johnson of the New York Jets and Ty Law of the New England Patriots were the game's MVPs. This game was also the last game in the career of Denver Broncos...
. He was also awarded the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award
NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award
The NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since 1971. Multiple-award winners include Lawrence Taylor, who won it three times, and Joe Greene, Mike Singletary, Bruce Smith, Reggie...
in 1994
1994 NFL season
The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season...
.
- College Football NewsCollege Football NewsCollege Football News is a magazine and website published by College Football News, Inc., headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. News coverage includes scores, statistics, rankings, and reports on college football games. Analysis includes comparisons between teams, predictions of game outcomes and...
named Sanders #8 in its list of 100 Greatest College Football Players of All-Time. - The Sporting NewsThe Sporting NewsSporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
named Sanders #37 in their Top 100 Football Players of the Century released in 1999. - ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
named Sanders #74 in its list of the 100 Great Athletes of the Century released in 1999. - NFL.com named Sanders #34 on NFL's Top 100 list released in late 2010
- On November 11, 2010 Sanders was inducted into the Atlanta Falcons' Ring of Honor.
- On February 5, 2011 Sanders was announced as a Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
inductee in his first year of eligibility. - On May 17, 2011, Sanders was announced as a College Football Hall of FameCollege Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
inductee. - On August 6, 2011, Sanders was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
.
Sanders also had a rushing TD in the playoffs (against the Philadelphia Eagles in January 1996). This makes him (including post season) one of only two players in NFL history (Bill Dudley
Bill Dudley
William McGarvey "Bullet Bill" Dudley was a professional American football player in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions, and Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966.-Early life:Dudley was born in Bluefield, Virginia and...
being the other) to score a touchdown six different ways (interception return, punt return, kickoff return, receiving, rushing, and a fumble recovery).
On February 6, 2011, at Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League champion for the 2010 season. The game was held at Cowboys Stadium in...
, Sanders performed the pre-game coin toss.
Media appearances and pop culture fame
Following his first Super Bowl victory with the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, Sanders was the host of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, broadcast on February 18, 1995.
Sanders has been in numerous television commercials for Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
, Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
, Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
, Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
, and American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
. He was most notable as the Road Runner
Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner
Wile E. Coyote and The Road Runner are a duo of cartoon characters from a series of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons. The characters were created by animation director Chuck Jones in 1948 for Warner Bros., while the template for their adventures was the work of writer Michael Maltese...
in a Pepsi ad with Wile E. Coyote, and in a Pizza Hut commercial where he responds to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones questions ("Football or baseball?" and "Offense or defense?") with "both!!", including the question "So what'll it be, Deion? $15...20 million?" Sanders pauses to think it over, and says, "Umm...both." He also makes a cameo
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
as himself in the film Celtic Pride
Celtic Pride
Celtic Pride is a comedy film written by Judd Apatow and Colin Quinn and directed by Tom DeCerchio. It features Daniel Stern and Dan Aykroyd as Mike O'Hara and Jimmy Flaherty, two passionate Boston Celtics fans and Damon Wayans as Lewis Scott, the Utah Jazz's All-Star shooting guard.-Plot:Best...
.
Sanders, known for his custom-made showy suits and flashy jewelry, frequently capitalized on his image. On December 26, 1994 Sanders released Prime Time, a rap album on Bust It Records (MC Hammer
MC Hammer
Stanley Kirk Burrell , better known by his stage name MC Hammer , is an American rapper, entertainer, business entrepreneur, dancer and actor. He had his greatest commercial success and popularity from the late 1980s until the mid-1990s...
's label) that featured the minor hit "Must Be The Money." "Prime Time Keeps on Tickin'" was also released as a single. Sanders, a friend of Hammer's, appeared in his "Too Legit to Quit" music video. His alter-ego "Prime Time" is also used in Hammer's "Pumps and a Bump
Pumps and a Bump (video)
"Pumps and a Bump" is a song by Hammer, released as the first single from his album The Funky Headhunter.-Music video information:The video for "Pumps and a Bump" generated a great deal of controversy because it showed Hammer in swimming briefs and with what appeared to be an erection. As a result,...
" video. Hammer, a big sports fan, had launched a new enterprise during his career called Roll Wit It Entertainment & Sports Management (which released DRS
DRS (band)
DRS was an Rhythm and blues band from Sacramento, California. Their biggest success was through the 1993 Capitol Records album Gangsta Lean , which peaked at #34 on the Billboard Top 200 and #6 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Charts in the U.S. on the strength of the hit single, "Gangsta Lean"...
' two-million-selling "Gangsta Lean
Gangsta Lean
"Gangsta Lean" is an urban slang phrase denoting a style of automobile driving in which the driver sits slung low and tilted toward the passenger seat...
") and had clients such as Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
, Deion Sanders and Reggie Brooks
Reggie Brooks
Reginald Arthur Brooks is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He attended Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.-College:...
.http://books.google.com/books?id=v9MDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA118&lpg=PA118&dq=Louis+Burrell+mc+hammer+brother&source=bl&ots=osS4wR9l-C&sig=V_0Asey5McsBElhiRt5vFTnK26Y&hl=en&ei=76EFTaTvM-SJnAe2j7XlDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CDcQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=Louis%20Burrell%20mc%20hammer%20brother&f=false In 1995, Hammer released "Straight to My Feet" (with Deion Sanders) from the Street Fighter
Street Fighter (film)
Street Fighter is a 1994 American action film written and directed by Steven E. de Souza. It is based loosely on the same-titled video games produced by Capcom, and stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Raul Julia, along with supporting performances by Byron Mann, Damian Chapa, Kylie Minogue, Ming-Na...
soundtrack
Street Fighter (soundtrack)
Street Fighter is the soundtrack to the 1994 action film, Street Fighter. It was released on December 6, 1994 by Priority Records and was almost entirely hip hop...
(released in December 1994). The song charted #57 in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
After retiring from the NFL, Sanders worked as a sports pre-game commentator for CBS
CBS Sports
CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
' The NFL Today
The NFL Today
The NFL Today is an American sports series that precedes the American football program The NFL on CBS on CBS Sports. The program usually airs at noon on Sundays of the National Football League regular season...
until 2004
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
, when contract negotiations failed. Sanders turned down a 30% salary increase demanding to be paid $2.5 million, the highest of any NFL TV analyst. He was replaced by Shannon Sharpe
Shannon Sharpe
Shannon Sharpe is a former American Football tight end who played for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. Sharpe is known for his creative commentary and trash talking. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and inducted on August 6, 2011...
. During Sanders's run, he participated in several sketches. The first was "Primetime and 21st," a mock street corner where Sanders (not yet a regular panelist) would give his opinions. Another was his "Sanders Claus" persona, one of numerous sketches that involved young kids in football jerseys, representing NFL players, receiving a sarcastic gift from Sanders. Deion actually debuted as "Sanders Claus" in a set of Nike commercials. Still to this day Deion takes presents at Christmas time to local children's hospitals in his area dressed as "Sanders Claus".
Sanders frequently made guest appearances on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, especially on the ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
Dallas affiliate, and briefly hosted a show called The New American Sportsman. He also hosted the 2002 Miss USA
Miss USA 2002
The Miss USA 2002 pageant was held in Gary, Indiana on March 2, 2002. The event was won by Shauntay Hinton of the District of Columbia, who was crowned by outgoing queen Kandace Krueger of Texas....
pageant.
Sanders also was co-host of the 2004 GMA Music Awards
GMA Music Awards
The Gospel Music Association Dove Awards are presented annually by the Gospel Music Association for outstanding achievements in the Christian music industry. The awards are usually presented during a ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee, that features performances by a number of the industry's newest...
broadcast, taped in late April 2004, slated for an airing on UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
in May 2004. When negotiations with fellow Viacom
Viacom
Viacom Inc. , short for "Video & Audio Communications", is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in, but not limited to, cinema and cable television...
property CBS failed (see above) two weeks before the broadcast, and he signed a deal with ESPN, UPN promptly canceled the broadcast, and the show aired on the i Network in December 2004 (both UPN and CBS are now owned by CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation is an American media conglomerate focused on commercial broadcasting, publishing, billboards and television production, with most of its operations in the United States. The President and CEO of the company is Leslie Moonves. Sumner Redstone, owner of National Amusements, is CBS's...
).
Sanders currently works at NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
as an analyst on a number of the network's shows. Prior to the Sunday night game, Sanders, alongside host Rich Eisen and Steve Mariucci
Steve Mariucci
Stephen Ray "Steve" Mariucci is a former National Football League coach. He coached for the San Francisco 49ers and most recently for the Detroit Lions.-Early career:...
, breaks down all the action from the afternoon matchups on NFL GameDay Highlights. At the conclusion of all the action on Sunday, Sanders, Mariucci, Michael Irvin and host Fran Charles recap the day’s action on NFL GameDay Final with highlights, analysis and postgame interviews. For the 2010 season, Sanders joined Eisen, Mariucci and Marshall Faulk
Marshall Faulk
Marshall William Faulk is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League. He is currently an analyst for NFL Total Access, Thursday Night Football, and NFL GameDay Morning on the NFL Network...
on the road for Thursday Night Kickoff Presented by Lexus, NFL Network’s two-hour pregame show leading into Thursday Night Football. The group broadcasts live from the stadium two hours prior to all eight live Thursday Night Football games and returns for the Sprint Halftime Show and Kay Jewelers Postgame Show. Sanders also has a segment called "Let's Go Primetime" on NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
. In a notable incident in 2011, Joe Theismann
Joe Theismann
Joseph Robert "Joe" Theismann is a former quarterback in the National Football League and Canadian Football League . He achieved his most enduring fame in his 12 seasons playing for the Washington Redskins, where he was a two-time Pro Bowler and quarterback of the winning team in Super Bowl XVII...
mistakenly pronounced Danny Woodhead's
Danny Woodhead
Danny Woodhead is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Chadron State....
name as "Danny Woodcock", causing Sanders to laugh hysterically and fall off his chair.
Sanders currently stars in his own reality show -- Deion & Pilar: Prime Time Love
Deion & Pilar: Prime Time Love
Deion & Pilar: Prime Time Love is a weekly reality television show that focuses on the home life of former professional athlete Deion Sanders and his wife Pilar Biggers. The program is on the Oxygen network and debuted in April 2008...
-- centered around him, his wife, and their five children, all of whom live in the small town of Prosper, Texas
Prosper, Texas
Prosper is a town in Collin and Denton counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 2,097 at the 2000 census.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,097 people, 678 households, and 589 families residing in the town. The latest 2009 census brought Prosper to a population of...
.
"Prime Time" personality
Deion Sanders will often be remembered for sporting his famous "do-ragDo-rag
A do-rag, also spelled doo-rag, du-rag, durag, is a piece of cloth used to cover the head. According to the Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster the term derives from do as in hairdo.- History :...
or bandana
Bandana
Bandana can refer to:*Another name for a kerchief*Bandana *Bandana *Bandana, Kentucky, a small town in the United States*Y Bandana, a Welsh alternative rock band.**Y Bandana , their self-titled debut album....
" and for his "High-Stepping" into the end zone followed by his touchdown dance celebrations. At the same time, Sanders will also be remembered for being one of the most visible and outspoken football players to ever take the field due to his alter-ego, Prime Time. A marketing ploy as much as an alternate personality as it was given to him by a friend and high school teammate, Florida Gators
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
defensive back Richard Fain. The two played pickup basketball games together during the prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
television hour, and Sanders' athletic display during those games won him that title. Once in the NFL, Sanders felt he deserved to be paid as much as NFL quarterbacks and in 1995 he used the "Prime Time" strategy to sign a seven-year, $35 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys (the contract was essentially five years, but was given a seven-year length for an easier cap hit and the signing bonus was $12,999,999.99, one cent under $13 million due to a superstition of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
Jerry Jones
Jerral "Jerry" Wayne Jones is the owner and general manager of the NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys.-Early life:Jones was born in Los Angeles, California. His family moved to North Little Rock, Arkansas when he was an infant. Jones was a star running back at North Little Rock High School...
). At one point, he was the highest paid defensive player in the league and set the benchmark price-tag for future "shut-down corners".
Prime Time was upset that he was placed #34 on the list of Top 100 NFL players and said that he should at least be in the top 10.
At the end of his Hall of Fame speech, he put a bandana on his bust.
Other ventures
In addition to his sports career, Sanders also had a career in music as a rapper. He released his debut album Prime TimePrime Time (Deion Sanders album)
Prime Time is the debut album by National Football League and Major League Baseball star, Deion Sanders. It was released on December 20, 1994 through Capitol Records sub-label, Bust It Records. Despite universally negative reviews, the album managed to make it to #70 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums...
on Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
in 1994. Sanders moved on to other ventures after his retirement. In 2003, Sanders took interest in Devin Hester
Devin Hester
Devin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
, a return specialist
Return specialist
A Return Specialist is a player on American football or Canadian football special teams who specializes in returning punts and kickoff returns. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most play other positions as well. The special teams counterpart of a return specialist is a...
from the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
Hurricanes
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
. Sanders mentored Hester, counseling and advising him during various points of his collegiate career. The Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
drafted Hester in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
. Since then, Hester has broken, tied, or approached many NFL return records. Hester has cited Sanders as one of his major inspirations and idols, and thanked him for his training and advice. Hester, also known as “Anytime,” occasionally performs Sanders’ signature touchdown dance and high-steps in homage to his mentor.
Sanders also tried to adopt a high school running back, Noel Devine
Noel Devine
Noel Devine is an American football running back for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2011 and was released four days later after leaving the squad. He played college football at West Virginia.He had a...
, who was one of the top recruits in 2007. Sanders was advised against this, but responded, "He doesn't have parents; they died. God put this young man in my heart. This is not about sports. This is about a kid's life." He now mentors Devine, and was a factor in Devine's extended wait to sign a letter-of-intent
National Letter of Intent
The National Letter of Intent is a document used to indicate a student athlete's commitment to participating NCAA colleges and universities in the United States. The NCAA Eligibility Center manages the daily operations of the NLI program while the Collegiate Commissioners Association provides...
to West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
. Devine eventually signed to play football for the Mountaineers
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
.
Sanders has also been the mentor to San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree
Michael Crabtree
Michael Alex Crabtree is an American football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the 49ers with the 10th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for Texas Tech, where he received recognition as one of the nation's...
, as well as Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, Dez Bryant
Dez Bryant
- 2010 - Rookie Season :Bryant was signed by the Cowboys to a contract very similar to that of Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin on July 22, 2010. On July 23, 2010, it was announced that Bryant will wear number 88, the same as Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, and Cowboys legend Drew Pearson...
.
In January 2004, Sanders was hired as an assistant coach to the Dallas Fury, a women's professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team in the National Women's Basketball League
National Women's Basketball League
The National Women's Basketball League, often abbreviated to the NWBL, was an organization governing professional basketball leagues for women in the United States. The league was founded in 1997 and began play in the Fall of that year. The league used to have its own season during the off-season...
, even though Sanders had never played organized basketball either in college or the professional level.
On September 2, 2005, in response to the after-effects of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, Sanders challenged all professional athletes in the four major sports to donate $1,000
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
each to relief efforts, hoping to raise between $1.5 and $3 million total. Sanders said "Through unity, we can touch thousands....I have friends and relatives that feel this pain. Help in any way you can."
In April 2006, Sanders became an owner of the Austin Wranglers
Austin Wranglers
The Austin Wranglers were an arena football team based in Austin, Texas. They played four seasons in the Arena Football League from 2004 to 2007 and spent one season in AF2, the AFL's developmental league, in 2008. They made playoff appearances in the AFL in 2006 and in AF2 in 2008...
, an Arena Football League team.
Sanders has occasionally served as a celebrity spokesperson, such as representing Monitronics
Monitronics
Monitronics International was founded in 1994 and is one of the three largest security alarm monitoring companies in the United States. Headquartered in Dallas, the company provides burglar and fire alarm monitored security system services approximately 800,000 residential and commercial customers...
, a security system firm, at an industry conference in the spring of 2010.
Discography
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hip-Hop Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
US Heatseekers Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
||||
| 1994 | Prime Time Prime Time (Deion Sanders album) Prime Time is the debut album by National Football League and Major League Baseball star, Deion Sanders. It was released on December 20, 1994 through Capitol Records sub-label, Bust It Records. Despite universally negative reviews, the album managed to make it to #70 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums... |
70 | 14 | ||
| 2005 | The Encore Remix The Encore Remix The Encore Remix is a remix album by Deion Sanders. The album was released in 2005 for Bungalo Records. It featured a remix for every song from Sander's first album Prime Time... |
- | - | ||
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart or not released | |||||
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
- List of Major League Baseball triples champions