_(cropped).jpg) Sanders asColorado Buffaloes head coach, 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado Buffaloes | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Head coach | ||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
| Born: | (1967-08-09)August 9, 1967 (age 57) Fort Myers, Florida, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 198 lb (90 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||
| High school: | North Fort Myers(North Fort Myers, Florida) | ||||||||||||||||||
| College: | Florida State (1985–1988) | ||||||||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1989: 1st round, 5th pick | ||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||
As a player: | |||||||||||||||||||
As a coach: | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Head coaching record | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career: | 40–18 (.690) (college) 17–21 (.447) (high school) | ||||||||||||||||||
Deion Luwynn Sanders Sr. (born August 9, 1967) is an Americanfootball coach and former player who is the head coach of theColorado Buffaloes. Nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Coach Prime", he played in theNational Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with theAtlanta Falcons,San Francisco 49ers,Dallas Cowboys,Washington Redskins, andBaltimore Ravens. Sanders was also anoutfielder for nine seasons inMajor League Baseball (MLB) with theNew York Yankees,Atlanta Braves,Cincinnati Reds, andSan Francisco Giants. He won twoSuper Bowl titles and made oneWorld Series appearance in1992, making him the only athlete to play in a Super Bowl and World Series.
Sanders playedcollege football as acornerback for theFlorida State Seminoles, winning theJim Thorpe Award in 1988 before being selected by the Falcons fifth overall in the1989 NFL draft. He also played as areturn specialist and occasionally as awide receiver during his NFL career, receiving six first-teamAll-Pros and eightPro Bowl honors. He wonSuper Bowl XXIX with the 49ers andSuper Bowl XXX with the Cowboys. Sanders was inducted into theCollege Football andPro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
Sanders briefly worked as an analyst forNFL Network before coaching high school players throughout the 2010s. In 2020, Sanders was named head coach of theJackson State Tigers, leading them to two consecutiveCelebration Bowl appearances and the school's first undefeated regular season in 2022. Sanders was named Buffaloes head coach in 2023. His sonsShilo andShedeur played for him with Jackson State and Colorado.
Sanders was born on August 9, 1967, inFort Myers, Florida, to Connie Sanders and Mims Sanders. His parents divorced when Sanders was two years old. Sanders was raised by his mother and her new husband, Willie Knight, whom Sanders credits with being influential in his life. He attendedNorth Fort Myers High School, and was aletterman and All-State honoree in football, basketball and baseball. In 1985, Sanders was named to theFlorida High School Association All-Century Team which selected the top 33 players in the 100-year history of high school football in the state.
TheKansas City Royals selected Sanders out of North Fort Myers High School in the sixth round of the1985 Major League Baseball draft. However, he did not sign with the Royals. Sanders decided to play with Florida State University instead of signing with the Kansas City Royals.[1]
Sanders enrolled atFlorida State University and played three sports for theFlorida State Seminoles:football,baseball, andtrack. Beginning in his freshman year, he started in the Seminoles' secondary, playedoutfield for the baseball team that finished fifth in the nation, and helped lead the track and field team to a conference championship.
Underhead coachBobby Bowden, Sanders was a third-team All-American in 1986, and a two-time consensusAll-American cornerback in 1987 and 1988,intercepting 14 passes in his career, including three inbowl games, and managed to return one interception 100 yards for atouchdown, breakingFred Biletnikoff's interception return record by one yard. He won theJim Thorpe Award in 1988. He was also a standoutpunt returner for Florida State, leading the nation in 1988 with hispunt return average, and breaking the school's record for career punt return yards. Sanders made an interception with five seconds left to seal Florida State's 13–7 win over Auburn in the1989 Sugar Bowl during the 1988 postseason. Based on those accolades, his No. 2 jersey at Florida State was retired in 1995. He finished his career with 126 punt returns for 1,429 yards and three touchdowns, as well as 14 interceptions, returning them for 287 yards and three scores. At the end of his FSU career, Sanders' 14 interceptions was the second highest total in school history.[2] Bowden would later state that Sanders was his "measuring stick for athletic ability".[3]
While playing baseball under head coachMike Martin at Florida State, Sanders'batting average was .331 in 1986. He also compiled 27 stolen bases in 1987.[4]
On May 16, 1987 (while the Metro Conference baseball and track championships were being played simultaneously inColumbia, South Carolina), Sanders played in the conference semifinal baseball game againstSouthern Mississippi, ran a leg of a4 × 100 relay, then returned to play in the baseball championship game againstCincinnati.[5] Though Sanders' relay team did not place in the event, the FSU track team was the overall conference champion, and the baseball team won the conference title as well.
| Season | Team | Games | Tackles | Int & Fum | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Solo | Ast | Cmb | Int | PD | FF | FR | ||
| 1985 | Florida State | 11 | 4 | 22 | 1 | 42 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | Florida State | 12 | 11 | 34 | 4 | 61 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| 1987 | Florida State | 12 | 12 | 29 | 4 | 46 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 1988 | Florida State | 10 | 10 | 25 | 5 | 37 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Career | 45 | 37 | 110 | 14 | 186 | 14 | 27 | 4 | 0 | |
| Deion Sanders | |
|---|---|
| Outfielder | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 31, 1989, for the New York Yankees | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| June 14, 2001, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .263 |
| Home runs | 39 |
| Runs batted in | 168 |
| Stolen bases | 186 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Sanders had a nine-year, part-time baseball career, playing left and center field in 641 games with four teams.[6] He was drafted by theKansas City Royals in the sixth round of the1985 draft, but did not sign with them.[7] TheNew York Yankees selected Sanders in the 30th round of the1988 Major League Baseball draft, and he signed with the team on June 22.[8] He batted .284 in 28 minor league games after signing.[9]
The Yankees invited Sanders tospring training in 1989. Assigned to wear No. 71 as auniform number, Sanders requested a single digit number. The Yankees gave him No. 30, the lowest number available, which offended many veteran players on the team.[9] Sanders opened the 1989 season with theAlbany-Colonie Yankees of theDouble–AEastern League.[10] Though Sanders planned to leave the Yankees in July to attend NFLtraining camp,[11] he became embroiled in a contract dispute with the Falcons, and used the Yankees as leverage.
Sanders received a promotion to the major leagues, and spent the summer with theColumbus Clippers of theTriple–AInternational League.[12] Sanders made his MLB debut on May 31, 1989.[13]
During the1989 season, Sanders hit a home run and scored a touchdown in the NFL in the same week, becoming the only player ever to do so. Sanders is also the only person to play in both aSuper Bowl and aWorld Series.[14] Sanders andBo Jackson were the preeminent multi-sport athletes of their time, but prior to the 1990 season, they had never squared off against each other in a professional game. That changed in 1990, when Jackson and Sanders met five times on the diamond—the most memorable of which came on July 17, in what was billed as "The Bo and Prime Time Show". After Bo Jackson's three-homer night, Sanders said, "He's (Bo's) one of the best athletes who ever put on a uniform."[15] Sanders himself hit a dramaticinside-the-park home run in the same game that was unsuccessfully fielded by Jackson.[16]
Sanders made the Yankees'Opening Day roster for the 1990 season.[17] On May 22, 1990, Sanders became involved in a dispute withChicago White SoxcatcherCarlton Fisk. Sanders 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 failed 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 told Sanders to run the 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, later saying: "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."[18][19][20]
By mid-July, Sanders expressed that he was unsure if he would remain with the Yankees or report to training camp for the upcoming NFL season.[21] He requested a $1 million salary for the 1991 season, and the Yankees ended negotiations on a contract extension with Sanders. He left the team, finishing the 1990 season with a .158 batting average and three home runs in 57 games.[17] In September 1990, the Yankees placed Sanders onwaivers with the intention of giving him his release, as Yankees'general managerGene Michael said that Sanders' football career was stunting his baseball development.[22]
Sanders later signed with theAtlanta Braves for the1991 MLB season. On July 31, Sanders hit a key three-run homer to spark a comeback win against thePittsburgh Pirates during the Braves' run to theNational League West Division title. However, he left the Braves the very next day to report to theAtlanta Falcons because of a clause in his NFL contract and missed the postseason.[23] Before the1992 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.
During the1992 season, his best year in the majors, Sandershit .304 for the team, stole 26 bases, and led theNL with 14triples in 97 games.[6] In four games of the1992 World Series, Sanders batted .533 with fourruns, eighthits, twodoubles, and oneRBI while playing with a broken bone in his foot. His batting average,on-base percentage,slugging percentage,total bases andwin probability added each led the team in the series. Despite Sanders' performance, the Braves ultimately lost to theToronto Blue Jays in six games.[24] In Game 3, he narrowly avoided being a victim of what would have been only the second triple play in World Series history (followingBill Wambsganss' unassisted triple play in1920). With Sanders on second base andTerry Pendleton on first,David Justice hit a deep fly ball to center field that Blue Jays center fielderDevon White unexpectedly caught with a leaping effort. Pendleton passed Sanders on the bases for the second out, but umpireBob Davidson called Sanders safe after he scampered back to second base. Replays showed that Toronto third basemanKelly Gruber tagged him on the heel before he returned to second.[25]
The Braves traded Sanders to theCincinnati Reds in exchange forRoberto Kelly on May 30, 1994.[26] In 46 games played, Sanders batted .277 and stole 19 bases. The following year, he played in 33 games for the Reds, recording a .240 batting average with 16 stolen bases before being traded to theSan Francisco Giants.[27]
On July 21, 1995, the Reds traded Sanders,Dave McCarty,Ricky Pickett,John Roper, andScott Service to theSan Francisco Giants forDave Burba,Darren Lewis, andMark Portugal.[28] He batted .280, hit 5 home runs and stole 8 bases in 52 games for the Giants.[29]
In 1997, Sanders finished second in the NL with 56 stolen bases in 115 games while with the Cincinnati Reds before leaving baseball for three years.[6]
Sanders returned to theReds in 2001, but was released after playing in only 32 games and batting just .173.[6] After Sanders' release from the Reds, he signed a minor league contract with theToronto Blue Jays, who assigned him to the Triple-ASyracuse SkyChiefs.
Sanders' football contract had been negotiated to allow for him to play both baseball and football, but the terms of the contract stated that Sanders could miss NFL training camp and the first few games of the season only if he were playing Major League Baseball. Since he was not then on an MLB roster, Sanders had to leave Syracuse and return to theWashington Redskins so he would not violate his NFL contract.[30] In his final professional baseball game, Sanders hit a solo home run and an RBI single in Syracuse's 12–6 win over theToledo Mud Hens.[31] As those in MLB and the NFL urged Sanders to concentrate on only one sport (similar to what they did withBo Jackson), he often explained, "football is my wife and baseball is my mistress."[32]
 | This section of abiography of a living personneeds additionalcitations forverification. Please help by addingreliable sources.Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced orpoorly sourcedmust be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentiallylibelous. Find sources: "Deion Sanders" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(July 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft11+3⁄4 in (1.82 m) | 182 lb (83 kg) | 4.27 s | 1.53 s | 2.56 s |
At the 1989NFL Scouting Combine, Sanders ran40-yard dash times of 4.27s and 4.29s.[33] second40-yard dash. He was the fifth pick overall in the1989 NFL draft by theAtlanta Falcons,[34] where he played until1993. Despite fumbling (and recovering) his first NFL punt return (which was re-kicked on a penalty), Sanders ran for a touchdown on his second attempt of his first game. During his time in Atlanta, he intercepted 24 passes (including a career-high seven in 1993), three of which he returned for touchdowns. In1992, he also led the league in kickoff return yards (1,067), yards per return (26.7) and return touchdowns (two). On October 11, 1992, Sanders played in a Falcons game in 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.[14] Sanders, however did not appear in the baseball game that night.[14][35] During his five years playing with the Falcons, Sanders scored 10 touchdowns (three defensive, three kick returns, two punt returns, and two receptions).
After five seasons with Atlanta, Sanders signed on to playthe 1994 season with theSan Francisco 49ers. 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, averaging 50.5 yards per return. (Average yards-per-interception return is not an official NFL statistic however.)[36] It was also the most interception-return-yardage in a single-season sinceCharlie McNeil in 1961. Two of his interceptions were returned for a gain of at least 90 yards, making him the first player to do this in NFL history. On October 16, 1994, Sanders made his dramatic return to theGeorgia Dome in a 49er uniform. After getting into a scuffle with his former Falcon teammateAndre Rison, Sanders intercepted a pass from quarterbackJeff George and returned it 93 yards while mockingly staring down the entire Falcons sideline before high-stepping into the end zone. Sanders was later voted the1994NFL Defensive Player of the Year. InSuper Bowl XXIX, he recorded an end zone interception in the fourth quarter as the 49ers won over theSan Diego Chargers, earning him his first championship ring.[37]
Sanders, along with his agentEugene Parker, courted several teams in need of a cornerback. The teams in the "Deion Sweepstakes", as it was called by the media, were thePhiladelphia Eagles,Oakland Raiders,Miami Dolphins,New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys, who had lost their starting cornerbackKevin Smith to injury for the rest of the season.
On September 9, 1995, (in Week 2 of the season), Sanders signed a lucrative contract with the Dallas Cowboys (seven years, $35 million with a $12.99 million signing bonus, because ownerJerry Jones wassuperstitious about the number 13),[38] essentially making him at the time, the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. Sanders later stated in his bookPower, 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 receiverMichael Irvin.Arthroscopic surgery kept him sidelined until his debut in Week 9, which was once again in Atlanta against the Falcons; the Cowboys won, 28–13. He went on to help theCowboys win their third title in four years inSuper 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's first touchdown of the game and a 27–17 victory.[39] Sanders played four more seasons with Dallas, earningPro Bowl selection in all of them. On June 2, 2000, he was released in a salary-cap move.[40]
Soon after the Cowboys released Sanders, theWashington Redskins signed Sanders to a seven-year, $56 million contract.[41] At the end of the2000 season and an above-average statistical year, Sanders abruptly retired in July 2001 after only playing one year with the Redskins.[42]
On December 23, 2002, the Redskins waived Sanders from the reserve/retired list in order to potentially allow him to play for theOakland Raiders in the2002–03 NFL playoffs. If he had passed through waivers unclaimed, he would have been able to sign a free-agent contract with any team and play during the season. However, on December 25, five teams (theIndianapolis Colts,Kansas City Chiefs,Pittsburgh Steelers,San Diego Chargers andTennessee Titans) placed waiver bids for him, with the Chargers claiming him by having the highest waiver priority. Since it was too late in the season to be activated from the reserve/retired list, he was unable to play for the Chargers for the rest of the season.[43]
In2004, Sanders announced his intention to come out of retirement after being convinced by his friend Joe Zorovich,Baltimore RavenscornerbackCorey Fuller, and linebackerRay Lewis to play. He signed a one-year deal with the Ravens to be anickelback.[44] 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, his usual number 21 was already being worn by Ravens Pro Bowl cornerbackChris McAlister). Against the Buffalo Bills in Week 7 of 2004, Sanders scored his ninth career interception return touchdown, moving him into a tie withKen Houston andAeneas Williams, and behindRod Woodson (with 12), for second place all-time in the statistical category.
Sanders played in every game of the2005 season.[45] The Ravens failed to qualify for thepostseason for the second straight year and he retired in January 2006.[46]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| NFL Defensive Player of the Year | |
| Won theSuper Bowl | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | Punt returns | Kickoff returns | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Comb | Solo | Ast | Sck | PD | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1989 | ATL | 15 | 10 | 39 | — | — | 0.0 | — | 5 | 52 | 10.4 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 307 | 11.0 | 68T | 1 | 35 | 725 | 20.7 | 72 | 0 |
| 1990 | ATL | 16 | 16 | 50 | — | — | 0.0 | — | 3 | 153 | 51.0 | 82T | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 250 | 8.6 | 79T | 1 | 39 | 851 | 21.8 | 50 | 0 |
| 1991 | ATL | 15 | 15 | 49 | — | — | 1.0 | — | 6 | 119 | 19.8 | 55T | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 170 | 8.1 | 23 | 0 | 26 | 576 | 22.2 | 100 | 1 |
| 1992 | ATL | 13 | 12 | 66 | — | — | 0.0 | — | 3 | 105 | 35.0 | 55 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 41 | 3.2 | 14 | 0 | 40 | 1,067 | 26.7 | 99 | 2 |
| 1993 | ATL | 11 | 10 | 34 | — | — | 0.0 | — | 7 | 91 | 13.0 | 41 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 10.5 | 16 | 0 | 7 | 169 | 24.1 | 31 | 0 |
| 1994 | SF | 14 | 12 | 36 | 34 | 2 | 0.0 | — | 6 | 303 | 50.5 | 93T | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | DAL | 9 | 9 | 26 | 25 | 1 | 0.0 | — | 2 | 34 | 17.0 | 34 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 54 | 54.0 | 54 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 15 | 0 |
| 1996 | DAL | 16 | 15 | 33 | 31 | 2 | 0.0 | — | 2 | 3 | 1.5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997 | DAL | 13 | 12 | 33 | 30 | 3 | 0.0 | — | 2 | 81 | 40.5 | 50T | 1 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 407 | 12.3 | 83 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 | 18 | 0 |
| 1998 | DAL | 11 | 11 | 25 | 22 | 3 | 0.0 | — | 5 | 153 | 30.6 | 71T | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 375 | 15.6 | 69 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 16 | 0 |
| 1999 | DAL | 14 | 14 | 42 | 40 | 2 | 0.0 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0.7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 344 | 11.5 | 76 | 1 | 4 | 87 | 21.8 | 31 | 0 |
| 2000 | WAS | 16 | 15 | 41 | 38 | 3 | 0.0 | 9 | 4 | 91 | 22.8 | 32 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 185 | 7.4 | 57 | 0 | 1 | −1 | −1.0 | −1 | 0 |
| 2004 | BAL | 9 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0.0 | 5 | 3 | 87 | 29.0 | 48T | 1 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 41 | 8.2 | 23 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | BAL | 16 | 4 | 30 | 27 | 3 | 0.0 | 5 | 2 | 57 | 28.5 | 33 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Career | 188 | 157 | 512 | 254 | 20 | 1.0 | 25 | 53 | 1,331 | 25.1 | 93 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 1 | 212 | 2,199 | 10.4 | 83 | 6 | 155 | 3,523 | 22.7 | 100 | 3 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 1989 | ATL | 15 | 10 | 1 | −8 | −8.0 | −8 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | ATL | 16 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | ATL | 15 | 15 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 17 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | ATL | 13 | 12 | 3 | 45 | 15.0 | 37 | 1 | 1 | −4 | −4.0 | −4 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 1993 | ATL | 11 | 10 | 6 | 106 | 17.7 | 70 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | SF | 14 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | DAL | 9 | 9 | 2 | 25 | 12.5 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | DAL | 16 | 15 | 36 | 475 | 13.2 | 41 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0.7 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 1997 | DAL | 13 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | −11 | −11.0 | −11 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1998 | DAL | 11 | 11 | 7 | 100 | 14.3 | 55 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| 1999 | DAL | 14 | 14 | 4 | 24 | 6.0 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| 2000 | WAS | 16 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 |
| 2004 | BAL | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | −10 | −10.0 | −10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | BAL | 16 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Career | 188 | 157 | 60 | 784 | 13.1 | 70 | 3 | 9 | −14 | −1.6 | 8 | 1 | 13 | 5 | |
While continuing to work as an NFL analyst, Sanders became the head coach for thePrime Prep Academy, which he co-founded. The executive director of the school twice tried to fire Sanders, in one instance after witnesses said Sanders grabbed a school official by the collar, causing the official to fall to the floor.[47] He stayed as the head coach for 2012 and 2013. The school was shut down in 2015 amid a spate of problems.[48][49]
In 2015, he was hired as the head coach for Triple A Academy, where he was the coach for two seasons.
In 2017, he became the offensive coordinator for Trinity Christian High School giving him the opportunity to coach his sonsShilo andShedeur Sanders, along with his eldest son Deion Jr.[50]
On September 21, 2020, Deion Sanders became the 21st head coach of theJackson State Tigers of thehistorically black (HBCU)Jackson State University. The Tigers play in the second level of NCAA football, theDivision I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). In his first season in spring 2021, abbreviated and delayed from its normally intended fall 2020 schedule due toCOVID-19 disruptions, he led the Tigers to a 4–3 record, with one win by forfeit.
In the fall 2021 season, Sanders led the Tigers to theSouthwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) title and a program record of 11 wins, also being named the recipient of the fall 2021Eddie Robinson Award as the season's top FCS head coach.[51] Jackson State went on to play in the 2021 Celebration Bowl where they were defeated by South Carolina State 31–10.[52][circular reference] The following season, Jackson State again played in the Celebration Bowl where they were again defeated 41–34 by North Carolina Central, bringing Coach Sanders' overall bowl record to 0–2.[53]
Sanders notably flipped the recruitment of defensive backTravis Hunter who was the number one overall recruit in the 2022 class. Hunter initially committed to Sanders' alma mater Florida State. The move was heralded by recruiting director Steve Wiltfong; he said it was "the biggest signing day moment in the history of college football" asFootball Championship Subdivision programs and the HBCUs that compete at such a level of competition are not usual destinations for high level recruits out of high school.[54] Hunter was the first five-star recruit to sign with an FCS program.[55] Not only did Sanders attract high-level recruits for HBCUs, he increased revenue for these once low funded teams and put HBCUs on the map.[56] Sanders paid for meals and training facilities out of his own pocket.[57]
On December 3, 2022, Sanders was named the head coach of theColorado Buffaloes.[58] Sanders made extensive use of thetransfer portal in replacing nearly the Buffaloes' entire roster, with 46 players leaving in the transfer portal and 50 transferring in. Nine followed him from Jackson State, including sons Shedeur and Shilo, and former five-star recruit Hunter.[59][60] After going 1–11 in the previous season, Colorado won their first three games of the 2023 season,[61] then lost their next two, then recorded their only conference win of the season. Colorado finished the season 4–8 with a 1–8 record in Pac-12 play.[62]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | STATS# | Coaches° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson State Tigers(Southwestern Athletic Conference)(2020–2022) | |||||||||
| 2020–21 | Jackson State | 4–3 | 3–2 | T–2nd(East) | |||||
| 2021 | Jackson State | 11–2[a] | 8–0 | 1st(East) | LCelebration | 22 | 19 | ||
| 2022 | Jackson State | 12–1 | 8–0 | 1st(East) | LCelebration | 16 | 11 | ||
| Jackson State: | 27–6 | 19–2 | |||||||
| Colorado Buffaloes(Pac-12 Conference)(2023) | |||||||||
| 2023 | Colorado | 4–8 | 1–8 | 12th | |||||
| Colorado Buffaloes(Big 12 Conference)(2024–present) | |||||||||
| 2024 | Colorado | 9–4 | 7–2 | T–1st | LAlamo | 25 | 25 | ||
| Colorado: | 13–12 | 8–10 | |||||||
| Total: | 40–18 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Prep Cardinals()(2012–2013) | |||||||||
| 2012 | Prime Prep | 1–5 | 1–3 | 3rd | |||||
| 2013 | Prime Prep | 7–2 | 1–0 | 1st | |||||
| Prime Prep: | 8–7 | 2–3 | |||||||
| Triple A Academy Stallions()(2015–2016) | |||||||||
| 2015 | Triple A Academy | 4–8 | 1–1 | 3rd | |||||
| 2016 | Triple A Academy | 5–6 | 5–1 | 2nd | |||||
| Triple A Academy: | 9–14 | 6–2 | |||||||
| Total: | 17–21 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
During his 14-year NFL career, Sanders was a perennial All-Pro and considered by many as one of, if not the strongest pass defenders ever to play the game.[65][66][67][68]
Sanders also occasionally lined up with the team's offense. During the1996 season, Sanders skipped thebaseball season, concentrating on football, and attended the firstNFL training camp of his career to better familiarize himself with the nuances of the wide receiver position. He became only the second two-way starter (after the Cardinals'Roy Green) in the NFL sinceChuck Bednarik.
Sanders is the only man to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series,[14] to hit an MLB home run and score an NFL touchdown in the same week, and to have both a reception and an interception in the Super Bowl. He is one of seven players to win back-to-back Super Bowls with different teams. He is also one of two players to score an NFL touchdown six different ways (interception return, punt return, kickoff return, receiving, rushing, and fumble recovery).[69]
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 was an NFL record (now held byDevin Hester with 20 return touchdowns). In the postseason Sanders added five more interceptions, as well as three receptions for 95 yards, four carries for 39 yards, and two touchdowns (one rushing and one receiving). He was selected to eight Pro Bowls and won theNFL Defensive Player of the Year Award in1994.
On February 6, 2011, atSuper Bowl XLV in Arlington, Texas, Sanders performed the pre-game coin toss.[72]
Sanders did not attend classes or take final exams during the fall semester (1988) of his senior year at Florida State, yet played in theSugar Bowl againstAuburn. This caused thestate legislature to create the "Deion Sanders rule", whereby a football athlete at any state university could not play in a bowl game if he failed to successfully complete the previous semester.[73]
In1995, he signed with theDallas Cowboys for a minimum yearly base salary and a nearly $13 million signing bonus in an attempt to circumvent the NFL's salary cap. This caused the NFL to institute its own "Deion Sanders rule", whereby a prorated portion of a player's signing bonus counted against the salary cap.[74]
Sanders became known for sporting a "do-rag" orbandana and for high-stepping into the end zone followed by histouchdown dance celebrations. At the end of his Hall of Fame speech, he put a bandana on his bust.[75]
His "Prime Time" nickname was given to him by a friend and high-school teammate,Florida Gators defensive backRichard Fain. The two played pickup basketball games together during theprime time television hour, and Sanders' athletic display during those games earned him the nickname.
Sanders, wearing custom-made showy suits and flashy jewelry, capitalized on his image. On December 26, 1994, Sanders releasedPrime Time, a rap album onMC Hammer's Bust It Records that featured the singles "Must Be the Money" and "Prime Time Keeps on Tickin'". The album and singles didn't chart in theTop 40. Following his first Super Bowl victory with theSan Francisco 49ers, Sanders hostedSaturday Night Live, broadcast on February 18, 1995. Sanders performed a medley of songs fromPrime Time, including "Must Be the Money" and "Heidi Heidi Hey".
As Hammer's friend, Sanders appeared in the "2 Legit 2 Quit"music video, and his alter-ego "Prime Time" showed up in Hammer's "Pumps and a Bump" music video. Hammer, being a big sports fan, launched a new enterprise calledRoll Wit It Entertainment & Sports Management which boasted such clients asEvander Holyfield, Deion Sanders andReggie Brooks.[76] In 1995, Hammer released "Straight to My Feet" with Sanders, from theStreet Fightersoundtrack (released in December 1994). The song charted No. 57 in the UK.
In January 1995, Sanders became the spokesman for theSega Sports line ofvideo games.[77] Sanders has also appeared in television commercials for such companies asNike,Pepsi,Burger King,Pizza Hut andAmerican Express. These included aRoad Runner Pepsi ad, with Sanders as the Road Runner withWile E. Coyote targeting him, and aPizza Hut commercial in which he appeared with Dallas Cowboys ownerJerry Jones. He also makes acameo as himself in the filmCeltic Pride.
After retiring from the NFL in 2001, Sanders worked as a pre-game commentator forCBS'The NFL Today until2004, 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 byShannon Sharpe. During Sanders' 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 one 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. Sanders actually debuted as "Sanders Claus" in a set of Nike commercials.[78]
Sanders frequently made guest appearances onESPN, especially on theESPN RadioDallas affiliate, and briefly hosted a show calledThe New American Sportsman. He also hosted the2002 Miss USA pageant.
Sanders co-hosted the 2004GMA Dove Awards broadcast, taped in late April 2004, and slated for air onUPN in May 2004. When negotiations with fellowViacom propertyThe NFL Today failed two weeks before the broadcast, and he signed a deal with ESPN, UPN promptly canceled the broadcast, and the show aired on thei Network in December 2004 (both UPN and CBS are owned byCBS Corporation).
Sanders works atNFL Network as an analyst on a number of the network's shows. Prior to the Sunday night game, Sanders, alongside hostRich Eisen andSteve Mariucci, breaks down all the action from the afternoon games onNFL GameDay. At the conclusion of all the action on Sunday, Sanders, Mariucci, Michael Irvin and host Fran Charles recap the day's action with highlights, analysis and postgame interviews. For the 2010 season, Sanders joined Eisen, Mariucci andMarshall Faulk on the road forThursday Night Kickoff presented byLexus, NFL Network's two-hour pregame show leading intoThursday Night Football. The group broadcasts live from the stadium two hours prior to all eight liveThursday Night Football games and returns for theSprint halftime show andKay Jewelers postgame show. Sanders also has a segment called "Let's Go Primetime" onNFL Network.
In 2008, Sanders and his wife starred in the reality showDeion & Pilar: Prime Time Love, centering on them and their five children living in the small town ofProsper, Texas. That same year, he appeared with his family onCelebrity Family Feud in the July 22, 2008, episode, competing againstCaitlyn andKris Jenner,Kim,Kourtney andKhloé Kardashian.
Sanders appeared as himself in the fourth season ofThe League, playing a prospective buyer of Andre's apartment.[79]
In 2014, Sanders was featured in an episode ofRunning Wild with Bear Grylls, where he and Grylls hiked in the desert of southern Utah for two days, rappelling down canyon walls and later climbing up a mesa.[80]
Sanders served as an alumni captain for Team Sanders in the2014 Pro Bowl.[81] He also re-joinedCBS Sports as a studio analyst for Thursday games only. He still works for the NFL Network on Sundays.
In 2015, he competed against singerJustin Bieber in an episode ofSpike'sLip Sync Battle and won with performances of "Play That Funky Music" byWild Cherry and "Like a Virgin" byMadonna.
Sanders and his girlfriendTracey Edmonds were featured together on an episode ofTiny House Nation that first aired on January 21, 2017.[82]
In 2018, Sanders appeared indisguise onUndercover Boss; he met with youth coaches and theless fortunate; it aired onCBS.[83]
Sanders is featured in the docuseriesCoach Prime, which follows his career as a college football head coach.[84]
Leon Sandcastle is a fictional character, depicted as a disguise for Sanders. The Sandcastle character was created for an NFL Network commercial. Sandcastle first appeared in aSuper Bowl commercial in2013.[85] The commercial depicted Sanders suggesting he could still play at a level higher than the rookies in the2013 NFL draft and deciding to make a comeback. He dons anafro, assumes the impromptu alias "Leon Sandcastle" and enters the draft, going through the fullNFL Scouting Combine. For action shots,Ball State cornerback Andre Dawson served as thestunt double.[86] The commercial features Sandcastle being drafted1st overall in the draft by theKansas City Chiefs. A voiceover then instructs viewers to watch NFL Network for offseason and draft coverage at the end noting in adeadpan voice that "the next rookie sensation probably won't be Leon Sandcastle."[87]
Despite not being an actual prospect for the 2013 NFL Draft, severalcombine videos have been created. The most prominent of these videos is Sandcastle's "4.2 40 yard dash".[88] The NFL also created a "Combine Profile" for Sandcastle, as they do with actual prospects.[89] InRich Eisen's 2013 annual 'Run Rich Run' event, Sandcastle appeared giving tips to Eisen.[90] Sandcastle's combine profile reveals that Sandcastle attended Primetime University.[89][91] The commercial had a positive social media response as "Leon Sandcastle" was trending onTwitter worldwide, shortly after the commercial's airing.[92] Sandcastle was also put intoMadden NFL 13 as a card in the 'Ultimate Team' game mode.[93] ForApril Fools' Day, 2013, NFL.com reported that Sandcastle would be the Chiefs' first overall selection.[94]
The character developed marketing value and continued to appear in headlines, such as a fake endorsement deal withUnder Armour[95] and continued to make other appearance at NFL events.[96] Sandcastle also had footballtrading cards produced and inserted into products byTopps andPanini America.[97]
In addition to his sports career, Sanders also had a career in music as a rapper. He released his debut album in 1994,Prime Time, throughHammer'sBust It Records label viaCapitol Records.[98] In 1995, Hammer released "Straight to My Feet" with Sanders, from theStreet Fightersoundtrack (released in December 1994). The song charted No. 57 in the UK.[99]
Sanders moved on to other ventures after his retirement. In 2003, Sanders took interest inDevin Hester, areturn specialist fromMiami. Sanders mentored Hester; he counselled and advised him during his collegiate career. TheChicago Bears drafted Hester in the second round of the2006 NFL draft. Since then, Hester has broken the record for the most total returns for touchdowns in NFL history with 14 punt returns, 5 kick off returns, and 1 missed field goal return (20). 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", on occasion performed Sanders' signature touchdown dance and high-steps in homage to his mentor.[100][101][102]
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 doing 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 aletter-of-intent toWest Virginia University. Devine eventually signed to play football for theMountaineers.
Sanders has also been a mentor to Baltimore Ravens wide receiverMichael Crabtree, as well as former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver,Dez Bryant.[103]
In January 2004, Sanders was hired as an assistant coach to theDallas Fury, a women's professionalbasketball team in theNational Women's Basketball League, even though Sanders had never played organized basketball either in college or the professional level.[104]
On September 2, 2005, in response toHurricane 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. Sanders said "Through unity, we can touch thousands... I have friends and relatives that feel this pain. Help in any way you can."[105] In April 2006, Sanders became an owner of theAustin Wranglers, anArena Football League team.[106]
Sanders has occasionally served as a celebrity spokesperson, such as representingMonitronics, a security system firm, at an industry conference in the spring of 2010.[107]
On April 10, 2024, Sanders entered into an endorsement deal with Boost Mobile.[108][109]
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hip-Hop | US Heatseekers | ||||
| 1994 | Prime Time | 70 | 14 | ||
| 2005 | The Encore Remix | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart or not released | |||||
Sanders has been married twice: He was married to Carolyn Chambers (1989–1998), with whom he had two children, Deiondra Sanders and Deion Sanders Jr. His second marriage was with Pilar Biggers-Sanders (1999–2015), with whom he has three children, Shilo,Shedeur, and Shelomi Sanders.[110][111]
In 1997, Sanders was going through a dark time in his life when his first marriage was ending and said he attempted suicide by driving a car off a cliff inCincinnati while playing for theReds. He has said he was driving as fast as 70 m.p.h. when he drove his car off a 30-to-40-foot (about 9-to-12-meter) cliff but that "there wasn't a scratch on me or on the car."[112]
Sanders, aChristian, said, "I finally just got on my knees and gave it all to the Lord." He has also said that power, money, sex, and his success almost ruined his life;[113] later writing an autobiography titled such.[citation needed]
The book was inspired after he began counseling withBishop T. D. Jakes. He names his agent,Eugene Parker, as another person who has influenced his life.
In April 2012, a dispute between Sanders and his estranged wife, Pilar Sanders, led to Pilar and Deion both facing misdemeanor assault charges, but a judge later ruled that neither party had committed family violence in that instance.[114][115] The former couple had a bitter custody dispute in 2013 over their three children, and a Texas jury voted to give Deion Sanders sole custody of their two sons and joint custody over their daughter. Pilar criticized the decision, saying that the judge had not allowed testimony about the 2012 dispute.[116]
In 2012, Sanders co-founded the charter schoolPrime Prep Academy. Sanders was later fired as the coach after CFO Kevin Johnson alleged Sanders assaulted him. Sanders publicly denied the claim, but witnesses said he had grabbed the school official by the collar, causing him to fall. Sanders pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge and paid a $765.70 fine.[117] Prime Prep Academy was criticized for a lack of focus on academics and poor management, and it shut down in 2015.[47] The school had amassed debt, owing payments to the I.R.S. and a teachers' retirement fund, and, when it shut down, it did not have enough money to meet payroll.[49]
In 2015, Sanders was named the CEO of FOCUS Academies and granted the head coaching position at Triple A Academy, which Sanders led to face hisalma mater North Fort Myers High School in Florida, a game featuring a key matchup between several ranked recruits.[118] On August 17, 2017, it was announced by CBS Sports that Sanders would be switching coaching positions at a new high school to become the offensive coordinator at Trinity Christian-Cedar Hill high school in Cedar Hill, Texas. The move was significant for Sanders, as both his sons played at the high school. Sanders served on the staff as offensive coordinator under formerDallas CowboyAveion Cason.[119]
Two of his sons played football at University of Colorado:Shilo was a defensive back[120] andShedeur, was the starting quarterback.[121][122][123][124]
In 2020, Sanders graduated fromTalladega College with a bachelor's degree in business administration with an emphasis on organizational management.[125]
In 2021, Sanders underwent several foot surgeries and had two toes on his left foot amputated as a result of blood clots.[126]
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