Achieving success and excellence in a single sport is already a formidable challenge, let alone mastering two. Yet, there have been remarkable athletes who have excelled in multiple disciplines. When discussing such extraordinary achievements, it’s nearly impossible not to mention the likes of Brock Lesnar, Michael Jordan, and Deion Sanders. In a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show, a UFC champion shared his astonishment upon discovering Sanders’ accomplishments in both the NFL and MLB.
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‘Prime Time’ abruptly retired from the NFL in 2001 at the age of 33 before making a surprise comeback in 2004 and finally retiring in 2005. Despite his retirement from the sport decades ago, his relevance endures through his coaching role with the Colorado Buffaloes. Recently, under his influence, the Buffaloes garnered an impressive 9.3 million views for their match against Colorado State, keeping him in the headlines even decades after his retirement.
UFC champion surprised by the two-sports feat of Deion Sanders
The newly crowned UFC bantamweight champion, Sean O’Malley, was a recent guest on the JRE MMA Show. Throughout their conversation, the two delved into a wide range of topics, including MMA, the NFL, stand-up comedy, and much more.
During their conversation, the topic of Deion Sanders came up, and O’Malley expressed his surprise upon discovering his achievements in two different sports. ‘Sugar’ said: [Quotes taken from 47:45 onwards]
“I didn’t really know much about Deion Sanders ‘Prime Time’, but the dude fu*king played in the MLB and NFL at the same time in the same seasons. He was signing like one off contracts to go play with the fu*king teams. Then he’d fly in a helicopter to the football game. That was a fu*king, I didn’t realize how good of an athlete he was.“
Sanders achieved the remarkable feat of playing in both MLB and the NFL during the 1989 season in his extraordinary career. O’Malley, in particular, was impressed by ‘Neon’s’ unique habit of flying by helicopter to reach his football games.
However, Sanders wasn’t the only athlete to have achieved this remarkable feat. The likes of Brock Lesnar and Michael Jordan have also achieved success in two sports.
Brock Lesnar and Michael Jordan conquering two sports
Back in 1993, the six-time NBA winner Michael Jordan first announced his retirement due to his father’s demise. Later, in 1994, ‘Black Cat’ signed a deal with the Chicago White Sox’ minor league team. Before returning to the NBA, Jordan played for both the Birmingham Barons and the Scottsdale Scorpions.
In a similar fashion, former WWE champion Brock Lesnar joined the UFC in 2007 following a highly successful tenure in WWE and NJPW. He won the UFC heavyweight championship in only his fourth professional MMA bout, defeating Randy Couture at UFC 91. Subsequently, after his defeat against Alistair Overeem, he returned to WWE before making a comeback for a fight against Mark Hunt at UFC 200.
It is not only Brock Lesnar, Michael Jordan, and Deion Sanders who have been able to succeed in two sports. Several other athletes, including Bo Jackson, Tim Tebow, Russell Wilson, and more, have achieved similar success in two sports. This accomplishment is a rare feat, with only a select few in history attaining it. Thus, making it akin to having one’s name etched in golden letters.
