Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, the main proponent of the creation of an “upper room” at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, turns 56 today.
Although we’re not in the habit of sending random birthday wishes to former players, I’m making an exception for one reason. I saw on Twitter (or whatever it now is) a clip of Deion returning a punt 68 yards for a touchdown in his first NFL game.
It is amazing. It electric. It is quintessential Prime Time.
He catches the ball. He drops it. He scoops it up just as he’s hit by a member of the Rams’ coverage team.
Deion is then swarmed by multiple Rams players. Somehow, he avoids being tackled. Somehow, he breaks away. He makes a cut that puts a would-be tackler on his ground.
And then Deion is gone, capping the final 30 yards by high stepping and taunting Buford McGee for the score.
Said Deion after the game: “I felt like a deer with a hundred hunters around.”
The P.S. is that the Rams beat the Falcons, 31-21. Said Rams defensive end Shawn Miller after the game, “Deion hasn’t done nothing. He returned a punt. The final thing’s up on the scoreboard. He can jump up and down all he wants.”
Still, it was a clear sign of things to come.
Deion’s performance came only days after he ended a lengthy holdout and signed his first NFL contract. He would go on to more contracts, and more great performances.
And if you’ve got 10 minutes or so to kill, do yourself a favor and watch his top 50 plays.
