Deion Sanders established himself as one of the greatest cornerbacks in NFL history before excelling as a college football coach. His playing career included a memorable run with the Atlanta Falcons, but his time with the franchise ended on a sour note, and he recently reflected on that chapter.
Deion Sanders Shares Untold Story Behind His Emotional Falcons Exit
Sanders built a legendary college career at Florida State, where he won the Jim Thorpe Award in 1988 before being selected fifth overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 1989 NFL Draft. His NFL career got off to an unforgettable start, as he returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown in his rookie debut against the Los Angeles Rams. It immediately established him as one of the league’s most electrifying players.
Atlanta quickly became more than just the place where Sanders played football. He embraced the city, frequently visiting schools and nursing homes at a time when the Falcons lacked many big stars. However, his tenure with the franchise ended after the 1993 season.
Speaking on “The Scoop With Dukes” on Saturday, Coach Prime admitted that leaving Atlanta was one of the most painful moments of his sports career.
“Hurt me,” Sanders said. “You know why it hurt me, man? That was the first time you felt unwanted. Everywhere else, they wanted you. They wanted you in high school. They wanted you in college. You know, they wanted you in the pros. They drafted you there.”
Before departing, Sanders had purchased 85 acres in Lawrenceville, Georgia, where he planned to build a lavish estate complete with pools and jacuzzis. His exit from both the Falcons and the Atlanta Braves forced him to pause those plans. However, he said the property became an incredible investment, as it quadrupled or quintupled in value over time.
Sanders also explicitly expressed his reluctance to leave Atlanta.
“I didn’t want to… my brother, I didn’t want to,” Sanders said.
He also recalled that then-Falcons owner Taylor Smith had a thing to say to him in this regard.
“Man, we don’t want to hold you back, dog, we’re holding you back,” Smith said.
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Sanders said that Atlanta never made a serious effort to re-sign him because the organization believed it was not in a position to compete and did not want to prevent him from reaching greater success. That decision allowed the San Francisco 49ers to sign Sanders to a one-year, $1.2 million contract.
Sanders went on to spend the final seasons of his Pro Football Hall of Fame career with the 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and Baltimore Ravens before retiring in 2006.
