Deion “Prime Time” Sanders is arguably one of the best football players and all-around athletes of all time. There is more to Deion Sanders than many of you know beyond what you are aware of from his accomplishments on the football field and baseball field. Here are 10 facts you probably didn’t know about Deion Sanders:

The Only Athlete to compete in a Super Bowl and World Series

29 JAN 1995: SAN FRANCISCO CORNER DEION SANDERS CELEBRATES DURING THE FOURTH QUARTER OF THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 49-26 DEFEAT OF THE SAN DIEGO CHARGERS IN SUPER BOWL XXIX AT JOE ROBBIE STADIUM IN MIAMI, FLORIDA. Mandatory Credit: Doug Pensinger/ALLSPOR
Unbelievable but awesome statistic: Deion Sanders is the only professional athlete to compete in both a World Series and a Super Bowl. Sanders’ World Series appearance came in the 1992 season when the Atlanta Braves won the National League Pennant and reached the ‘Fall Classic’ where they squared off against the Toronto Blue Jays. Unfortunately for the Braves, the Blue Jays ended up winning the series in six games. Sanders played in four games in that series, scored four runs, had eight hits, and had 15 appearances at bat. Sanders may not have won a World Series, but he has the great distinction of also having two Super Bowl wins with the San Francisco 49ers in the 1994 season at Super Bowl XXIX and the Dallas Cowboys the following season at Super Bowl XXX respectively.

The Origins of Primetime

Professional NFL and MLB player Deion Sanders, on the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Falcons teams, holds a basketball during a break from filming on a Nike “Deion Sanderclaus” television commercial wearing a red tank top and surrounded by film equipment on a soundstage in November, 1992 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Roxanne McCann/Getty Images.
We all know Deion Sanders by his two nicknames: Coach Prime, and Primetime, but there’s a great story behind how Sanders earned his iconic nickname. He was first called Primetime after dropping 37 points in a basketball game. Sanders revealed he was almost called ‘Neon Deion,” but did not want to be called that. ‘Primetime’ sounds cooler and is much more iconic. Coach Prime comes from the start of his coaching career which spans back from his time coaching high school football at the Prime Academy in Texas.

Hitting a home run and scoring a touchdown in the same week

Baseball: New York Yankees Deion Sanders (24) in action, in the batters box vs Milwaukee Brewers at Milwaukee County Stadium. Milwaukee, WI 6/4/1989 CREDIT: John Biever (Photo by John Biever/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)(Set Number: X38411 TK2
In 1989, ‘Primetime’ Sanders became the only athlete to score a touchdown and hit a home run in the same week. On Sep. 5, 1989, while signed with the New York Yankees, Sanders snagged two home runs in a 12-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners. On Sep.10, 1989, Sanders scored a punt return for a touchdown in a 21-31 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. To this day, no one in professional sports history has ever been able to achieve something like this- a long-standing achievement in the record books.

Sanders had his very own reality TV show

NEW ORLEANS – FEBRUARY 17: Former NFL star Deion Sanders poses for a photo with his wife Pilar at the 2008 NBA All-Star Game at the New Orleans Arena February 17, 2008 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ray Amati/NBAE via Getty Images
Primetime Sanders made it onto reality TV in 2008 with the show ‘Deion & Pilar: Prime Time Love’ on the Oxygen Network. The reality show showed viewers what Primetime’s home and personal life were like. However, the show only aired for one season, and consisted of eight episodes, and was not renewed for a second season.

Sanders released a rap album

THE COLOR THEME WAS FUSCHIA AS DEION SANDERS AND A QUARTET OF BACKUP SINGERS PERFORMED A RAP PIECE TITLED “MUST BE THE MONEY.” (Photo By LEA SUZUKI/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
Back in 1994 when Sanders was playing for the San Francisco 49ers, Primetime released his first and only rap album- not surprisingly called ‘Prime Time’. The album included songs such as Must Be The Money, House of Prime, Papa San, and other names. Unfortunately, the album did not receive wide acclaim and was negatively reviewed by critics. Thankfully Neon Deion stuck with sports over music.

Deion appeared in countless movies and TV shows

When your name is as huge as Primetime or Neon Deion, you’re bound to have cameos in a few movies and shows. Sanders appeared in Celtic Pride, The League, MC Hammer music video 2 Legit to Quit, and Draft Day to name a few. Sanders’ iconic performances on the baseball diamond and gridiron helped gain these cameo appearances. Surely a good agent did not hurt. Now that he’s the coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, hopefully, we get a documentary including his time coaching at the collegiate level in the future!

Sanders enjoys helping others succeed

JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI – DECEMBER 03: Shedeur Sanders #2 and head coach Deion Sanders of the Jackson State Tigers pose for photos after the game against the Southern University Jaguars in the SWAC Championship at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium on December 03, 2022 in Jackson, Mississippi. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
During his playing and coaching career, Primetime Sanders’ gift has been uplifting the spirits of people and entire communities throughout the years. During his tenure at Jackson State University, Sanders and his connections helped upgrade the college’s football facilities as well as Sanders donated half of his own salary to help Jackson State’s football team. Sanders poured his heart and soul into Jackson State as well as what he is currently doing with the Colorado Buffaloes.

Sanders has joined a list of all-star athletes who have had success at coaching

BOULDER, CO – NOVEMBER 4: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes (L) has a word with Shedeur Sanders #2 before his first offensive drive in the first half of a game against the Oregon State Beavers at Folsom Field on November 4, 2023 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Sanders isn’t the only former elite athlete who has also had success at coaching. Sanders joins the likes of Larry Bird, the late Bill Russell, Mike Ditka, Jason Kidd, Bart Starr, Ted Williams, and plenty of others who have found similar success at coaching the next generation of athletes in their respective sports. If Sanders continues his success at Colorado University, maybe a coaching role in the NFL will open up for the Hall of Famer.

Sanders’ swagger and style became iconic

BOULDER, COLORADO – DECEMBER 06: Head Football Coach, University of Colorado Deion Sanders receives the 2023 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson Of The Year Award at the The Prime Video World Premiere Of “Coach Prime” Season Two December 06, 2023 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Tom Cooper/Getty Images for Prime Video)
Whether it was his bandana or his Nike Sneakers, Sanders’ own style became iconic and his iconic looks are still represented in sports and fashion today. When he was the coach at Jackson State University, Primetime brought the athletic brand Under Armour to the school. Since Primetime has been with Colorado, Sanders returned to Nike and saw his iconic Diamond Turf sneaker/ cleat return to the gridiron being worn by many Colorado athletes on the field.

Sanders has overcome many challenges

ATLANTA, GA – DECEMBER 18: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Jackson State Tigers during warmups prior to the college football Cricket Celebration Bowl game between the South Carolina State Bulldogs and the Jackson State Tigers on December 18, 2021 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Sanders has overcome tons of challenges in his life. Most recently, the new Buffs head coach has had surgeries that cost him a couple of his toes amputated from his left foot to save his life. Sanders recently had foot surgery to avoid having his foot amputated. Despite these surgeries and life-threatening blood clots, Sanders is a fighter and overcame that challenge to continue his coaching career with Jackson State at the time and so forth with Colorado.

All of this and much more confirms Deion Sanders’ selection to any list of elite athletes!