It’s been nearly three decades since he electrified the NFL, but Deion Sanders’ influence keeps rising—this time, in the English Premier League. We’re talking about the biggest sports league in soccer here.
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During Crystal Palace’s recent clash with EPL heavyweights Manchester City, American defender Chris Richards netted the second goal for his side, which gave them an unexpected 2-0 lead over the Citizens.
Though Richards’ efforts didn’t lead to a win for his team, as Kevin De Bruyne & Co. staged an incredible 5-2 comeback, one of the standout moments of the matchup was the Palace defender breaking into a full-blown Deion Sanders touchdown dance celebration — right after that second goal in the 21st minute.
Deion Sanders celly in EPL #GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/rjoP7ZWSFX
— Depressed Eagles Fan (@nfl_rocky) April 13, 2025
This moment didn’t just light up Selhurst Park — it also sent waves through the NFL world. Former Bengals wide receiver and die-hard soccer aficionado Chad Johnson was quick to salute the homage on social media.
“Seeing Deion Sanders celebration done in the Premier League after a goal in 2025 speaks volumes…” posted a proud Johnson on “X”.
Ocho’s post took off instantly. Fans also flocked to the comments with everything from goat emojis to nostalgia-drenched praise for Sanders’ enduring cultural footprint.
“That’s because Prime is the fu**ing GOAT, and these new gen need to respect that,” read the most liked reply. “Legendary,” penned another fan.
Like Prime, his fans also seemed to embody his never-give-up attitude as they chose this moment to take a cheeky dig at Asante Samuels, who famously had a public back-and-forth with the Colorado head coach over a disagreement on cornerback technique. “Don’t let Samuels see this lol. Deion is a GLOBAL ICON,” said a fan.
A few, however, kept hating on Deion Sanders and his family as they randomly chose to label Shedeur Sanders a bust on a post that celebrates Coach Prime’s global impact. “Yeah, but his boy still gon be a bust if he goes top 10,” wrote a user, who was hilariously labelled by fellow netizens as a “pro hater.”
Boy you one them pro haters huh
— In My Opinion (@DemocratsOnly) April 12, 2025
Whether it’s in cleats or kicks, Coach Prime has proven that swagger knows no bounds. The fact that he is still relevant while charting the journey from the Dallas Cowboys’ secondary to the sideline at Colorado speaks volumes about his influence.
While some might argue that Chris Richards, being an American, hitting the Sanders celebration shouldn’t mean much, you could also see the Crystal Palace defender as a young player so influenced by Neon Deion that he chose to represent him on a global stage. And what better way to measure one’s legacy than counting the number of people you have left inspired?
