10 Things NFL Fans Should Know About Deion Sanders

May 2024 · 6 minute read

With how many different teams Deion Sanders played on over his NFL career, it makes sense why so few people seem to hate him. From 1989 to 2005, Sanders managed to play for the Falcons, 49ers, Cowboys, Washington, and the Ravens, picking up two separate and sometimes forgotten Super Bowl wins during that time.

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While most of the biggest football players of all time played at the quarterback position, Sanders bucks that trend by primarily taking up the role of a cornerback. His fantastically aggressive play, boastful attitude, and willingness to take serious risks were something that practically destined him to great success.

10 He Is The Only Athlete To Play In The World Series And Super Bowl

Whether or not someone manages to win the Super Bowl if someone actually manages to make it to the game they can say a lot more than 99% of people. Sanders stands head and shoulders above his peers by being able to say he’s the only man to play in two major games.

Sanders managed to play and win two Super Bowls, and he appeared in the World Series of the MLB in 1992. It’s an incredible fact that a shocking amount of people don’t seem to know about one of the best men to pick up either sport.

9 He Won Consecutive Super Bowls With Different Teams

When most people win multiple Super Bowls, those wins often tend to come in consecutive years and at the very least with the same team. While Sanders’ wins did come in consecutive years, he managed to win the big game with two different teams.

He helped take both the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys to Super Bowl victories. While he did spend a number of years playing for the Cowboys, he only ever played a single season with the 49ers and was luckily rewarded with a Super Bowl win for his troubles.

8 He Was Drafted By The Royals Before Heading To College

Deion Sanders seemed to be a player that was always in high demand. Regardless of what point of his life someone points to, there was someone wishing that Sanders would play for them. That’s probably why the Royals drafted Sanders out of high school.

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In the 1985 MLB draft, Sanders was picked in the sixth round, but he passed up on the opportunity to further hone his skills in college. While he was always skilled in baseball, football is clearly where he thrived above all else.

7 He Had A Rivalry With Bo Jackson

Those that are big fans of Deion Sanders are likely also major fans of Bo Jackson. Both men were phenoms in multiple sports all throughout their athletic careers. Thanks to their skills, fans dreamed of watching the two square off against one another.

When the two finally did meet on the baseball field, it was magic. One of their meetings was so heavily anticipated that the entire game was named for the two men and their showdown. The two men always seemed to enjoy competing against one another, and it was always a treat for fans.

6 He Infamously Taunted The Falcons After Leaving The Team

For as much love as Deion Sanders gets, there is at least one team's fanbase in particular that gives him a bit of hate. Sanders played for the Falcons for five seasons, and after he left for greener pastures, things were a bit tense.

Sanders was never one to take it easy on the field and one of his most famous moments comes at the expense of his former team. While striding toward the endzone, Sanders not only stared down his team but also took comically large steps as he made a touchdown.

5 He Passed Up On More Money For His Ambitions

While it may not have been officially confirmed, Sanders has said in his book that when he signed with the Cowboys, they weren’t actually the team that offered him the most money. Sanders's contract at that time was massive, something that makes that fact almost impossible to believe.

Still, Sanders says that the Raiders offered him far more money. He decided to play for the Cowboys because he felt that they would be his best bet at winning another Super Bowl while also allowing him to have some more freedom on the field.

4 He Was In High Demand Despite Being Retired

After a year of play with Washington, Sanders wound up retiring sooner than most people thought he would have. Despite his announcement of retirement, pretty much everyone wanted Sanders to end up playing for them if he decided that he wanted to play again.

Of course, Sanders would end up returning to the league. After multiple teams attempted to pick up Sanders’ contract before it was too late, he eventually found a home playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers when he returned from his brief retirement.

3 He’s Had A Solid Coaching Career As Well

When Sanders finished up with his playing career, he decided it was time to see if he could apply everything he’d learned to coaching. While he started out rather simple at first, he did spend quite a few years coaching at the high school level.

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After a few years of high school, Sanders was hired by Jackson State Tigers to serve as their head coach. He seems to be quite happy leading his team to victory over at Jackson State, and he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

2 An Entire Collegiate Rule Was Made Because Of Him

While a lot of players make their mark in college in their own unique ways, only a few leave such a mark that an entire rule is created because of them. Sanders wound up having a rule made after he failed to attend classes or exams during his senior year.

The rule that was made, known as the Deion Sanders Rule, made it so that players had to complete their semester before playing in bowl games. He had an NFL version of the rule created years later, though that one had more to do with pay.

1 He Spent Some Time As A Rapper

There’s no denying just how talented Deion Sanders was in sports. The thing about him is that his passions didn’t stop at sports. Sanders also spent some time as a bit of a flashy rapper thanks to his friendship with MC Hammer. Yes, that MC Hammer.

He didn’t just make simple appearances on someone else's tracks either, he released his own album. Sanders didn’t have the most illustrious music career, but it was another way that he managed to flex his creative muscles outside of competition.

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