The football world knows Deion Sanders by now as the shades-wearing, brash, and much-discussed college football head coach at Colorado. Before handling the coaching reins for the Buffs in 2023, he was one of the more popular players across the NFL.
Few, however, recall the last team he played for in his illustrious 14-season career. Where did the career of “Primetime” end?
Looking Back at Deion Sanders’ Final NFL Stop
Sanders earned eight Pro Bowls, suiting up for five different league teams.
But it’s the Baltimore Ravens who earn the claim of being the last NFL team Sanders played for.
The cornerback’s arrival in Baltimore was also unique. Sanders became an established NFL broadcaster with CBS Sports between 2001 and 2003, including joining the crew for coverage of Super Bowl XXXVIII between the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers. After retiring, Sanders turned to an analyst role.
That game in Houston ended up being Sanders’ last broadcast, as he returned to the NFL after the game. Following some coaxing from good friends Ray Lewis and Corey Fuller, Sanders agreed to a one-year, $1.2 million deal to join the Ravens.
“I prepare to win, I prepare to dominate, I prepare to conquer,” Sanders said in his opening statements with the Baltimore media at the time of his signing. “I prepare to win it all, and that’s one of the reasons I’m here.”
Sanders’ run with the Ravens, however, became short-lived.
How Sanders Fared in NFL Return
Sanders returned to the league at 37. Despite still being in great shape as an older player, Sanders played sparingly for Baltimore.
He went on to start in a combined six games in his two campaigns with the Ravens, including just two in his first season with the team. While he picked off three passes in 2004, Sanders’ tackles dipped to eight total with seven solo stops that same season.
Sanders didn’t fare any better as a return man, either. After making his mark as a dangerous option on punt and kickoff returns, Sanders was limited to five punt returns for just 41 yards. And his longest punt return stretched 23 yards. He didn’t field any kickoffs with the Ravens.
For his truncated Baltimore career, Sanders played in 25 games total and snatched five total interceptions. He returned just one pick back to the end zone — far different from the three he returned while with both the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys. He also went on to match the same number of solo tackles (34) that he had in his lone season with the 49ers.
Did Deion Win a Super Bowl With Baltimore?
One reason behind Sanders’ decision to hop back into the league was the chance to chase after one more championship ring.
Sanders had claimed two in back-to-back seasons while with the 49ers (1994 season) and Cowboys (1995 season). Yet, he hinted during CBS broadcasts that he had an itch for one more championship.
Baltimore, at the time, presented a strong chance to give Sanders his newest championship hardware. The Ravens were already an established playoff contender under head coach Brian Billick and were coming off a first-round exit against the Tennessee Titans.
Sanders’ Super Bowl pursuit with the Ravens, however, never materialized. The 2004 Ravens finished 9-7 overall and didn’t qualify for the playoffs. Worse, Sanders’ final season in the league ended in a 6-10 campaign. Sanders eventually retired for the final time after the ’05 season.
Now, Sanders is pursuing a new kind of championship bling: The national championship of college football as he enters his second season with the Buffaloes.