Deion Sanders Biography

(Former American Football Player, Coach and Only Athlete to Play in Both 'Super Bowl' and 'World Series')

Birthday: August 9, 1967 (Leo)

Born In: Fort Myers, Florida, United States

Deion Sanders is a retired American sportsman who played both football and baseball simultaneously at the professional level. He holds the honor of being the only sportsman to have ever participated in both the ‘World Series’ and the ‘Super Bowl.’ While at college, he used to play three sports—football, basketball, and baseball—and was an all-state honoree in all three sports. In 1989, he turned professional in two of the three sports, football, and baseball. He was drafted by the ‘Atlanta Falcons’ in the NFL draft. Shortly afterward, he also signed a contract to play baseball with the ‘New York Yankees.’ Simultaneously, he played for both teams and became the first-ever sportsman to hit a major league home run and achieve a touchdown within a week’s time. He retired as a player and founded the ‘Prime Prep Academy Charter School’ where he coached until 2015 when the school was shut down due to financial insolvency. Currently, he works as an NFL Network analyst and is the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes.

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Quick Facts

Nick Name: Prime Time

Also Known As: Deion Luwynn Sanders Sr.

Age: 56 Years, 56 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Carolyn Chambers (m. 1989–1998), Pilar Sanders (m. 1999–2013)

father: Mims Sanders

mother: Connie Knight

siblings: Tracy Knight

children: Deion Sanders Jr., Deiondra Sanders, Shedeur Sanders, Shelomi Sanders, Shilo Sanders

Born Country: United States

Quotes By Deion Sanders African American Men

Height: 6'0" (183 cm), 6'0" Males

Grouping of People: Black American Football Player

U.S. State: Florida, African-American From Florida

More Facts

education: Florida State University

awards: 1991 - Pro Bowl
1992 - Pro Bowl
1993 - Pro Bowl

1994 - Pro Bowl
1996 - Pro Bowl
1997 - Pro Bowl
1999 - Pro Bowl
1994 - AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year
1993 - NFC Defensive Player of the Year
1994 - NFC Defensive Player of the Year
1998 - Co-NFL Alumni Special Teams Player of the Year
1988 - Jim Thorpe Award
2011 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee
2011 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee

Childhood & Early Life

Deion Sanders was born on August 9, 1967, in Fort Myers, Florida, USA, to Mims Sanders and Connie Knight. His mother later married Willie Knight who proved to be a very positive influence on young Deion.

He went to ‘North Fort Myers High School’ in Florida where he started playing a number of sports, including football, basketball, and baseball. He was named to the ‘Florida High School Association All-Century Team’ in 1985.

He attended ‘Florida State University’ where he became the All-American Cornerback twice in 1987 and 1988. He also won the ‘Jim Thorpe’ award.

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Career

His professional career started in 1989. He was drafted by the ‘New York Yankees’ first and later went on to play for the ‘Atlanta Braves.’ During the 1989 season, he hit a major league home run. The same year, he also started his professional football career.

In football, he was drafted by the ‘Atlanta Falcons’ during the 1989 NFL Draft. He played with the team till 1993. While playing for the team, he achieved 24 passes. He also reached the end zone ten times during this period, which included three defensives.

During the 1991 MLB Season, he hit a key three-run homer to score a comeback win against the ‘Pittsburgh Pirates’ in July while playing with the ‘Braves.’

The 1992 season was his most productive one in baseball. He hit 304 for the team and stole 26 bases and scored 14 triplets in 97 matches. In spite of his amazing performance, his team ultimately lost to the ‘Toronto Blue Jays.’

He signed to play football for one season with the ‘San Francisco 49ers’ in 1993-94. This proved to be his best season in football as he recorded six interceptions, 303 yards, and three touchdowns. He was voted the 1994 ‘NFL Defensive Player of the Year.’

After the 1997 season, he did not play baseball for three years. During the season, he stole 56 bases in 115 games.

He signed a contract with the ‘Dallas Cowboys’ football club in 1995 for a whopping $35 million for seven years. He helped the ‘Cowboys’ win their third ‘Super Bowl’ title in four years at the ‘Super Bowl XXX.’ He continued with the team for four more seasons.

He returned to play baseball for the ‘Cincinnati Reds’ in 2001. As he was playing both baseball and football simultaneously, he had to quit one of the sports in order to focus on the other. He retired from baseball that year.

He continued playing football for another season and played with the ‘Washington Redskins’ before retiring. He came out of his retirement in 2004 and played with the ‘Baltimore Ravens.’

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He scored an interception return touchdown, his ninth overall, during the ‘Buffalo Bills’ in 2004. After playing for two seasons, he retired in 2006 and became an analyst for the NFL Network.

Sanders and his wife were seen in the reality show ‘Deion & Pilar: Prime Time Love’ in 2008.

He co-founded ‘Prime Prep Academy,’ a grouping of charter schools in Texas, in 2012. He held the position of head coach at the academy until 2013.

During the 2014 ‘Pro Bowl,’ he served as an alumni captain for ‘Team Sanders.’

He won the ‘Lip Sync Battle’ against Justin Bieber in 2015. That same year, he was appointed the head coach at the Triple A Academy. He held the position for 2 seasons. In 2017, he assumed the role of offensive coordinator for Trinity Christian High School.

In September 2020, he became the head coach for the Jackson State Tigers. In his first season with the team in spring 2021, he led the Tigers to a 4–3 record. In the fall season, the Tigers, under the leadership of Sanders, marched to the Southwestern Athletic Conference title and went on to score 11 wins. He also became the recipient of the Eddie Robinson Award. Overall, Sanders led the Tigers to a 27−6 record during his three seasons with the team.

In late 2022, he was appointed the head coach for the Colorado Buffaloes.

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Awards & Achievements

He won the ‘Jim Thorpe Award,’ a prestigious college football award, in 1988.

He became the ‘NFL Pro Bowler’ eight times between 1991 and 1999. He was adjudged the ‘NFL Defensive Player of the Year’ in 1994.

He is the only sportsman in history to have played in both ‘Super Bowl’ and the ‘World Series.’

Personal Life & Legacy

He was first married to Carolyn Chambers. The couple had two children.

He tied the knot for the second time with Pilar Biggers. This marriage produced three children. The couple divorced and Sanders was granted the custody of their three children.

Known for his flashy jewelry and showy suits, he has appeared in several television commercials and endorsed brands like ‘Pepsi,’ ‘Nike,’ ‘Burger King,’ etc.

In 2012, he started dating Tracey Edmonds. They announced their engagement in 2019.

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Trivia

This sportsman, who has played both football and baseball on a professional level, is affectionately called ‘Prime Time.’

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