Deion Sanders retires from the NFL...

Primetime decided to retire from football on Friday. He'll go down as the best cover corner and return man(interceptions, punts, and kick offs) to ever play the game.

From ESPN.com
<a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/news/2001/0727/1231994.html">Sanders gets to keep bulk of signing bonus</a>


ASHBURN, Va. -- There were times last fall when Deion Sanders wistfully sounded as if he could no longer be satisfied playing football. His previous standards, he said, were so high that it was a letdown if he didn't meet them every week.

Whatever the reason, Prime Time has decided not to return to the game. His baseball future is uncertain.

Sanders retired from the NFL on Friday, striking a deal and cutting his losses rather than report to a Washington Redskins team he had disavowed.

"In my discussions with (Sanders' agent) Eugene Parker, it was evident from his comments that Deion Sanders did not want to play football," coach Marty Schottenheimer told The Associated Press.

"With that understanding, both parties have reached a mutually beneficial agreement. Deion Sanders will retire as a National Football League player, and a financial agreement has been reached."

Sanders, 33, informed the Redskins of his decision through Parker. The seven-time Pro Bowl performer, regarded by many as the premier coverage defender in NFL history, intends to file his official retirement papers with the league soon.

By the numbers
Seasons 12
Pro Bowls 7

Super Bowl rings 2
Interceptions 48
Touchdowns 21
Passes defended 113

Tackles 473
Interception return average 24.7
Punt return average 10.4
Kickoff return average 22.7


The announcement was surprisingly low-key, given it concerned a player who loves the limelight and has always managed it well. Neither Sanders nor Parker commented publicly, but Sanders' former teammates could have seen it coming based on his uninspired play in the Redskins' 8-8 season last year.

"We didn't get what we wanted in terms of winning a championship," cornerback Darrell Green said. "In his mind, in terms of his performance, I think that was a disappointment, but that cannot damper an incredible career like he had."

Sanders and the Redskins agreed on a settlement that will allow him to keep all but $500,000 of the $8 million signing bonus he received as part of the seven-year, $56 million contract that he signed with the team last summer. He had already received $5.5 million of the bonus, and was due another $2.5 million this year. Sanders had previously said that he didn't want to play for the Redskins this season.

The two sides agreed to delay that payment until next March, with Sanders now set to get $2 million of the original $2.5 million.

Sanders' abrupt retirement -- coupled with his uncertain baseball future -- ends at least one chapter in the career of one of the most dynamic showman in sports in the last decade. Sanders combined flair with talent: Sanders, widely considered one of the finest cornerbacks of all time, is the only person to play in both the World Series and the Super Bowl.

"In his generation, he certainly leads the pack," said Green, who lost his starting job to Sanders last year but will now get it back.

"He's an incredible businessman, whether you agreed with how he carried out his business practices. The bottom line was he was an excellent athlete."

The decision to leave football came less than one full day after Sanders cleaned out his locker with the baseball Syracuse SkyChiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Published reports claimed that Sanders, who departed the club after autographing memorabilia for Syracuse players, told his baseball teammates he was resigned to report to the Washington training camp.

Sanders, who played in 29 games for the Cincinnati Reds before they cut him earlier this season, leading to his joining the Blue Jays' organization, batted just .252 at Syracuse and wasn't close to getting promoted.

"He was going to have to play himself here," Toronto assistant general manager Dave Stewart said.

Stewart said the door was open for Sanders to return to Syracuse if he wanted.

Sanders was the fifth overall draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 1989. He spent one season (1994) with San Francisco, helped the team win the Super Bowl and was named defensive player of the year despite joining the team late because of baseball.

Sanders spent the next five seasons with the Cowboys, getting another Super Bowl ring after the 1995 season, before Redskins owner Dan Snyder lured him to Washington last year, supposedly as the final piece of a Super Bowl team. Instead, the Redskins failed to make the playoffs.

In 1996, Sanders played regularly on both offense and defense for the Cowboys, becoming the NFL's first two-way starter since Chuck Bednarik in 1962. He is the only player in Super Bowl history to have both a pass reception and an interception.

A master punt-returner, Sanders holds the NFL record with 18 touchdowns on returns -- fumbles, kickoffs, punts and interceptions. He has 48 career interceptions, including eight returned for TDs.

Sanders' World Series appearance came in 1992 with the Atlanta Braves.


Material from The Associated Press and ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli was used in this report.

Deion's only 33, I don't see why he's retiring so young. I think he still has got some good years ahead of him. Well, you never know what's going on in his head...



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I think he may concentrate on baseball now ...or he might go into showbusiness...
He wasn't great this past year, but I still think he was a quality cornerback, and had some more years in him.

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