Is Deion Sanders overrated?

[Diehardblues]

Putting this out there because I am very curious plus his name came up in the top 3 defender thread.

I say absolutely yes. Great athlete for sure. Elite speed. Great CB but I don’t see him as the best of all time. He was a pure cover guy. Literally avoided tackles and contact. Even joked about it. I think that really hurt his greatness in my opinion. One of the biggest games in his career Irvin abused him plus he got away with a couple pass interference calls. So I say yes. Great player but not the best CB. Not in the discussion in my opinion.

What do you folks say?

While I think we could present an argument he isn’t the greatest CB of all time he is one of the greatest athletes .

The fact he could play so many positions in football and Major League Baseball as well places him as one of the most naturally gifted athletes of all time

IMO the greatest athlete of all time was Jim Thorpe.

 

[DonaldM]

"Overrated"?! Absolutely not. The greatest of all time at that position. Deion intercepted 53 passes (24th all time) for 1,331 yards (fourth all time) in his career. His 25.1 yards per interception return is the best in NFL history, & he’s fifth in interceptions returned for a touchdown (9).

Sanders was an eight-time Pro Bowl nominee, nine-time first-team All-Pro selection, & NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1994. Dang turf toe made him retire.

Was Dak throwing that ball...way under thrown. Deion would have walked in with a better throw.

 

[DFWJC]

He was great but his legend is overrated.
The great Qb's of the time had no problem throwing in his direction (Troy did it all the time) and he was a liability against the run.

You had me until you said they had no problem throwing at him.
No CB in NFL history was avoided more than Sanders. That's part of what made his big plays so great; is that when they finally threw his way, he often made them pay dearly.

But yes, people that say he was the top defender of all time (see Ladamien Tomlinson) are nuts.

 

[khiladi]

If Kevin Smith stayed healthy, he would have been mentioned alongside guys like Sanders and Revis. Hell, if Dallas had the healthy Smith-Sanders combo and refs not making up BS calls on an even injured Smith, would a QB have ever completed a pass against us?

 

[rags747]

Did he interfere with Irvin down the sideline in the NFC Championship game? HELL YES!

 

[Diehardblues]

He’s the second greatest athlete I’ve seen, right behind Bo Jackson. He played two sports at the pro level, top 3 returner of all time, and probably the best CB to play the game. They stopped throwing his way and he still got 14 interceptions in Dallas alone. You’re really underrating him.

No doubt he was one of the greatest athletes . And I’d agree with Bo comparison since they are only athletes to play in two professional sports league in modern history.

He defined shut down corner in this era but I think it’s arguable if he was best CB.

Renfro probably best ever Cowboys CB and Aderley who we picked up from Green Bay would be close. I’d put Sanders right after that. But his pure athletic ability is greater than all.

 

[jazzcat22]

2 things that 2 of the best players in consideration never really had any success against.

Deion could not stop Michael Irvin, except for the non call arm bar in the 1995 NFCCG.
Reggie White could not get sacks or pressures on Erik Williams.

 

[G2]

There's a few players that fans are incapable of discussing.

Start a thread.

 

[Diehardblues]

Deion is an excellent example of how the media can immortalize a great player.

 

[Vtwin]

I can't think of another CB who could regularly play so far off the receiver, giving the QB the impression the WR was open, then close for the pick, often for 6. QB's were afraid to throw it to his side because of that.

Big physical, ball hawking WR's could have some success against him if the QB could put the ball in the right spot.

He even started trying to improve his tackling efforts after he really started to hear it from the media. I remember Madden saying "who is that wearing #21" after Deion made a nice open field tackle on a RB.

 

[NotForLong]

I

Putting this out there because I am very curious plus his name came up in the top 3 defender thread.

I say absolutely yes. Great athlete for sure. Elite speed. Great CB but I don’t see him as the best of all time. He was a pure cover guy. Literally avoided tackles and contact. Even joked about it. I think that really hurt his greatness in my opinion. One of the biggest games in his career Irvin abused him plus he got away with a couple pass interference calls. So I say yes. Great player but not the best CB. Not in the discussion in my opinion.

What do you folks say?

Did you watch him play? . . . I assume . . . No

 

[OmerV]

Putting this out there because I am very curious plus his name came up in the top 3 defender thread.

I say absolutely yes. Great athlete for sure. Elite speed. Great CB but I don’t see him as the best of all time. He was a pure cover guy. Literally avoided tackles and contact. Even joked about it. I think that really hurt his greatness in my opinion. One of the biggest games in his career Irvin abused him plus he got away with a couple pass interference calls. So I say yes. Great player but not the best CB. Not in the discussion in my opinion.

What do you folks say?

Absolutely true he wasn't an all around player - didn't play the run or tackle well. At times even avoided contact.

But his cover skills were so exceptional - so elite relative to peers, including players considered to be great players - that he is still right there in the conversation as best CB of all time. After all, the primary responsibility is coverage.

 

[Diehardblues]

He didn't literally shut down half the field. That was the media gushing.

Yep . A great example of how the media built up the hype.

 

[Diehardblues]

Absolutely true he wasn't an all around player - didn't play the run or tackle well. At times even avoided contact.

But his cover skills were so exceptional - so elite relative to peers, including players considered to be great players - that he is still right there in the conversation as best CB of all time. After all, the primary responsibility is coverage.

And I think you’ve hit on a great point. He didn’t really have many peers in his era. He dominated his era .

 

[jazzcat22]

And I think you’ve hit on a great point. He didn’t really have many peers in his era. He dominated his era .

Darrell Green may be a comparison, though Green may have been on the downside of his career when Deion came in.
Michael Irvin beat him often also as he did Deion.

 

[viman96]

Deion put fear in opposing offenses and QBs and Offensive coordinators avoided him. In addition he was an elite Punt Returner. Absolutely one of the greatest players.

 

[Havic]

Deion is an all time great. I would put him ahead of guys like Champ and Revis simply because he was more versatile (WR and Punt Returner).

 

[Whyjerry]

I

Did you watch him play? . . . I assume . . . No

Clown comment. Don't like the post move on.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Deion put fear in opposing offenses and QBs and Offensive coordinators avoided him. In addition he was an elite Punt Returner. Absolutely one of the greatest players.

Never pass to Deion’s side, always run to Deion’s side

 

[Vtwin]

I don't see how it's a knock to struggle with one HOF receiver who just happened to have the specific attributes needed to be effective against him.

Irvin struggled against Aeneas Williams more often than not.