Deion Sanders is causing a stir in the football world, as he and his Buffaloes gear up for the 2024 season. Just like his days as a standout player in both the NFL and MLB, Prime, now as a coach, is killing it. But what many do not know is that he also dreams of stepping into the entertainment world, much like our beloved TV host Jimmy Fallon.
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On a recent episode of Jimmy Fallon’s “The Tonight Show“, Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders took center stage. The show started with Jimmy warmly welcoming Deion to the show, “Coach Prime! Welcome Back to the show, Coach.” But to Jimmy’s surprise, Deion promptly confessed that he secretly dreams of hosting a show like his.
Deion also playfully suggested trading roles for a day with the popular comedian, who couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Jimmy’s response, however, was swift and clever.
“The University of Colorado would be so upset. They would be so bummed if I showed up to practice like, ‘Hey, guys, let’s watch a movie,'” Fallon said. “Have you guys seen Rudy? Let’s watch Rudy. I don’t know what I would do.”
But the fun did not stop there as Jimmy Fallon brought up the New York Yankees in his discussion, a team Prime was a part of for two seasons. Deion, recalling his days as a Yankee, confessed how young and naïve he was back then. He remembered feeling star-struck around baseball legends such as Rick Anderson, Dave Winfield, Steve Sax, and Don Mattingly.
Before he was “neon”, before he was “prime time”, he was Deion Sanders: 1989 Topps Traded rookie prospect.
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⚾️⚾️⚾️ #deionsanders #primetime #neondeion #jackofalltrades pic.twitter.com/J3kEKrGWNs
— Jack Of All Trades (@baseballcardDoc) May 30, 2019
During their chat, Jimmy Fallon also revealed his admiration for Deion Sanders by pulling out a vintage baseball card featuring Sanders himself from 1980. Excited like a kid in a candy store, Fallon asked Sanders to sign the card, which he happily did. Fallon couldn’t contain his joy, expressing his plans to frame the autographed card and proudly display it in his office.
Deion Sanders on Scoring Home Runs and Touchdowns
Moving forward in their conversation, Deion Sanders and Jimmy Fallon discussed the former being the first player to hit a home run and score a touchdown in the same week. However, to Sanders, it felt somewhat normal and not an extraordinary achievement.
He mentioned that he participated in three sports, football, baseball, and basketball during high school, considering it a normal thing. The former Dallas Cowboys cornerback struggles to understand why people made such a big deal out of it when he replicated the same feat in the professional leagues.
Deion Sanders once hit a home run in the MLB and scored a NFL touchdown in the same week pic.twitter.com/iH05iBuFKk
— Baseball (@mlbelites_) July 12, 2023
When asked which accomplishment felt better to him, hitting a home run or scoring a touchdown, Coach Prime opted for the latter—a touchdown. He thinks a touchdown is more enjoyable as it allows him to savor the moment for longer, six days to be exact, whereas in baseball, you have to play again the next day.
Deion Sanders had an impressive career in both the NFL and MLB, playing for a total of 14 seasons in football and 9 in baseball. He is a one-of-a-kind player who wore jerseys for four MLB franchises: the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, and San Francisco Giants.
In the NFL, he played for five teams, including the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and Baltimore Ravens. In total, he represented nine professional teams during his playing days from 1989 to 2005.