Deion Sanders

“Prime Time” Deion Sanders was one of the flashiest and cockiest players to ever don a NFL uniform. He was also one of the best cover corners the game has ever seen. 

Deion Sanders was a three-sport athlete at Florida State University. He starred in football, baseball and track, and was a two-time consensus All-American cornerback in 1987 and 1988. In 1988, he won the Jim Thorpe Award, which is given to the nation’s top defensive back. 

Deion Sanders was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 1989 and immediately made an impact, scoring a touchdown on his very first kick return. During his five years in Atlanta, Deion Sanders intercepted 24 passes – three of which he returned for touchdowns – and led the league in kickoff return yards with 1,067 in 1992. 

Frustrated by the direction of the Falcons, Deion Sanders signed a one-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers, turning in one of his best seasons as a pro. He recorded six interceptions and returned them for an NFL-best 303 yards and three touchdowns. Deion Sanders also won the 1994 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award and hauled in an interception in the 49ers’ 49-26 thrashing of the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX. 

After feuding with All-Pro wide receiver Jerry Rice, Deion Sanders became upset with the 49ers’ organization. Just before the 1995 season, “Prime Time” signed a seven-year, $35 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys, which made him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL. That season, Deion Sanders helped the Cowboys win their third Super Bowl in four years with an exiting victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX. In the game, Deion Sanders caught a 47-yard reception on offense, which set up the Cowboys’ first score. He currently is the only player in NFL history to catch a pass and make an interception in the Super Bowl. 

Towards the twilight of his career, Deion Sanders played for the Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens, respectively. But age and injuries caught up to the once elite cornerback and in January of 2006, Deion Sanders retired for a second time and became an analyst for the NFL Network, where he’s still currently employed. 

Over his NFL career, Deion Sanders was selected to eight Pro Bowls, was a nine-time All-Pro selection and was a two-time Super Bowl Champion. He was also selected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 1990s. 

One of the things Deion Sanders is known for is being a two-sport athlete. He played with five different teams during his MLB career, including the New York Yankees (1989-1990), the Atlanta Braves (1991-1994), Cincinnati Reds (1994-1995, 1997, 2001) and the San Francisco Giants (1995). He led the National League in triples in 1992 with 14 and stole 186 bases during his career. 

While Deion Sanders has taken criticism for shying away from contact on the football field, nobody can deny his legacy as a legitimate shutdown corner. Perhaps no other corner in the NFL has ever shut down an entire side of the field like Deion Sanders could, although there arguably have been better all-around defensive backs, including the Broncos’ Champ Bailey. 

Jerry Rice

As the story goes, rookies and fellow teammates would try to work out with Jerry Rice in the offseason. Rice used take them on this jog up this large hill in the middle of the woods and at first, his teammates would be able to keep pace without a problem.

Then the real workout began.

Rice, one of the greatest wide receivers to have ever played in the NFL, would break into almost a full sprint up the hill, leaving his teammate behind gasping for air. Nobody worked as hard as Rice in the offseason.

Before Rice made a name for himself in the NFL, he was a standout football player at Mississippi Valley State University. As a sophomore in 1982, he hauled in 66 passes for 1,133 yards and seven touchdowns. As a senior, he broke his own Division 1-AA records for receptions with 112, and yardage with 1,845. Rice’s 27 touchdown receptions in 1984 set a NCAA record and on August 12, 2006, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Even though his college stats were marvelous, many NFL teams stayed away from the wide receiver because he only ran a 4.7 40-yard dash. The 49ers weren’t scared, however, and traded up to the No. 16 spot in the 1985 draft to get him.

The rest is history.

For his career, Rice was nominated to 13 Pro Bowls and was a 12-time All-Pro selection. He was named MVP of Super Bowl XXIII, as well as named NFL Offensive Player of the Year in both 1987 and 1993. The NFL also named him onto their All-Decade Team for the 1980s and 1990s.

By the time Rice finally retired in 2005, he finished as the leader in numerous NFL statistics. Below is just a small sampling of how many NFL records he holds.

Receptions (1,549)
Receiving yards (22,895)
Touchdown receptions (197)
Yards from Scrimmage (23,540)
All-purpose yards (23,546)
Rushing/Receiving Touchdowns (207)

He also holds countless NFL season and single game records, including most seasons with at least 1,500 receiving yards (4) and games with at least 100 yards receiving (76).

On top of all his accomplishments, Rice was also in fantastic shape. He only missed 17 regular season games in his career, with most coming in 1997 when he missed 14 games with torn knee ligaments.

There might not be a better wide receiver to ever play the game of football.