The Prime Effect: Deion Sanders
There are only a few people throughout human history that can affect a culture in such a way that the landscapes have been changed forever. One person was Muhammad Ali, and the other is Head Coach Deion Sanders. From the time he was born, he has been destined and ordained for success. In fact, if it wasn’t sports, I’m sure he would be successful at whatever he should choose.
Deion Sanders Sr. was born on August 9, 1967, in Ft. Meyers, FL. He went to North Fort Myers High School and was a letterman in football, baseball and basketball. In 1985, he was named to Florida High School Association’s All-Century Team which was given to 33 players in Florida’s 100-year history of high school football. In that same year, the Kansas City Royals selected Deion Sanders in the 1985 Major League Baseball Draft, but he declined and went to Florida State instead.
Deion Sanders continued to play 3 sports while at Florida State: Football, Track, and Baseball. He led the track team to a conference championship, and the baseball team finished fifth in the nation. Under then Head Coach Bobby Bowden, Sanders was a 2-time Consensus All-American cornerback and won the Jim Thorpe Award in 1988 for his play at cornerback. As a baseball player under then Head Coach Mike Martin, Sanders batted .331 in 1986. He also had 27 stolen bases the following season. On May 17, 1987, Deion Sanders ran a leg in a track meet and played in the baseball conference championship game against Cincinnati. That spoke volumes for his athletic ability.
In his Major League Baseball career, He was drafted by the New York Yankees, and had stints with the Braves, Reds, and Giants in a career that lasted 11 years. His career batting average was .263 and he also hit 39 home runs with 168 stolen bases. Meanwhile, he had a hall of fame football career in which he was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 1989. He also spent some time with the 49ers, Commanders (Then Redskins), Cowboys, and Ravens in a career that spanned 15 years. He won Defensive Player of the year in 1994 with the San Francisco 49rs to go along with a Super Bowl. He also won the Super Bowl in Dallas in 1995. Yes, His baseball and football careers happened at the same time. We may not ever see this kind of thing in sports again.
Deion Sanders coaching career began in 2012 at the high school level when he became the Head Coach for Prime Prep Academy. He was the head coach until after the 2013 season amidst some problems in the school itself. In 2017, he became the head coach for Trinity Christian High School where he was able to coach Shedeur and Shilo Sanders, two of his sons.
In 2020, Sanders was hired as the head coach for the Jackson State Tigers, a Historically Black College and University. With the help of Shedeur and Shilo, Deion Sanders coached Jackson State to an overall record of 27-6 with two appearances in the Celebration Bowl. Before the start of the 2023 season, Deion Sanders was then hired by the Colorado Buffaloes. So far, he has posted a combine record of 13-12 but last season posted a 9-4 record and gaining the attention of the national media as a team that is up and coming.
Mostly known as “Prime Time”, Deion Sanders prefers to be called “Coach Prime”. Everywhere he has gone, he has produced winning results. He is considered to be a controversial figure with a way to effect change in whichever direction he chooses. One thing, however, is for sure. Whether you saw him on TV, heard him on the radio, or seen him on social media, you will never forget him after that.
