Deion Sanders
At Florida State, Sanders won the 1988 Jim Thorpe Award and was drafted fifth overall by Atlanta in 1989. He emerged as the NFL's premier shutdown cornerback, and his stardom peaked in the mid-1990s when he won back-to-back Super Bowls with the 49ers and Cowboys. By 1994 'Prime Time' was the most electrifying two-way star in American sports.
Two-Sport Phenomenon
Sanders is the only person to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series. He starred simultaneously in the NFL and MLB during the early 1990s, suiting up for both the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta Braves.
Prime Time Defense
As a cornerback, 'Prime Time' was so feared that quarterbacks simply avoided his side of the field. His 1994 Defensive Player of the Year season helped the 49ers win the title, and he repeated as a champion with Dallas the next year.
Coach Prime
After retiring in 2005 and entering the Hall of Fame in 2011, Sanders turned to coaching. He revitalized programs at Jackson State and then the University of Colorado, where he remains head coach heading into 2026.
Career Timeline
- 1988Won Jim Thorpe Award at Florida State
- 1989Drafted fifth overall by the Atlanta Falcons
- 1989Made MLB debut, becoming a two-sport pro
- 1992Played in World Series with Atlanta Braves
- 1994Won Super Bowl XXIX with San Francisco 49ers
- 1994Named NFL Defensive Player of the Year
- 1995Won Super Bowl XXX with Dallas Cowboys
- 2005Played final NFL season with Baltimore Ravens
- 2011Inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame
- 2023Named head coach at University of Colorado
Biggest Hits
- On Oct. 11, 1992, Sanders played an NFL game and an MLB playoff game in different cities the same day.
- He returned punts, kickoffs, and interceptions for touchdowns, scoring 19 non-offensive TDs in the NFL.
Portrait: Erik Daniel Drost · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons