simmytbone
08-06-2011, 04:00 AM
Deion Sanders made impact in his five years with Dallas Cowboys
Posted Friday, Aug. 05, 2011
BY CLARENCE E. HILL JR.
chill@star-telegram.com
Deion Sanders came to the Dallas Cowboys in 1995 with a news conference in the locker room. He gathered established stars Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin around him and asked one simple question, "Are you mad about the money?"
As the league's first true soldier of fortune, it was always about the money.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones admittedly had to go back to Arkansas to do some soul searching before handing Sanders a then-record $35 million contract. Of course when Sanders was released in 1999, the contract was at the root of the decision. In between, he helped the Cowboys win a Super Bowl, dominated at cornerback like none other and became the first true two-way player since Roy Green in the 1980s.
1995
Sanders signs a record $35 million contract, including $13 million guaranteed, with the Cowboys on Sept. 9, but had to have surgery on his left ankle a few weeks later due to a baseball injury while with the Cincinnati Reds. He made his first appearance and start on Oct. 29 in the Cowboys' 28-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons. His first touchdown as a Cowboy came in a divisional playoff win over Philadelphia on a 21-yard reverse in the second quarter. It was the first rushing touchdown of his career. In the Cowboys' 27-17 win over Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XXX, he had a 47-yard reception, a pass deflection, one tackle and returned a punt 11 yards. He earned All-Pro honors.
1996
Sanders played cornerback and wide receiver in the first 11 games to join 1980s standout Roy Green as a threat from either side of the ball. He finished the season with 16 starts on defense and eight on offense. He had 45 tackles and two interceptions. He also had 36 catches for 475 yards. In the divisional playoff loss to Carolina, Sanders fractured the orbit of his right eye in the fourth quarter.
1997
Earned Pro Bowl honors despite missing the final three regular-season games with a fractured rib. He only had two interceptions because quarterbacks continued not to challenge his side of the field. Yet, he returned one (off Brett Favre) 50 yards for a touchdown. He also had an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown against Chicago. In a Thanksgiving Day game against Tennessee, he fractured his rib on a punt return and was inactive the remainder of the season.
1998
Another Pro Bowl and All-Pro season after leading the league in punt return average at 15.6 with six of 30-or-more yards and two for touchdowns and five interceptions. In a Monday night game at the New York Giants, he returned a punt 59 yards for a touchdown and returned an interception 71 yards for another score. Later in the season, he had a 69-yard punt return for a touchdown against Philadelphia. He sprained his left big toe in Week 10 and aggravated it in Week 11, missing the final five games of the regular season. He returned for the wild-card playoff loss against Arizona and had three tackles and a 41-yard punt return.
1996
In his final season in Dallas, Sanders again showed why he was the most feared punt returner in the game. He averaged 11.5 yards on 30 returns with a long of 76 yards and one touchdown in 14 games played. The touchdown came on a 70-yard return against Washington. He also had three interceptions and forced a fumble. Dallas lost 27-10 at Minnesota in the wild-card game. He was released the following June.
credit: star-telegram.com
Posted Friday, Aug. 05, 2011
BY CLARENCE E. HILL JR.
chill@star-telegram.com
Deion Sanders came to the Dallas Cowboys in 1995 with a news conference in the locker room. He gathered established stars Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin around him and asked one simple question, "Are you mad about the money?"
As the league's first true soldier of fortune, it was always about the money.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones admittedly had to go back to Arkansas to do some soul searching before handing Sanders a then-record $35 million contract. Of course when Sanders was released in 1999, the contract was at the root of the decision. In between, he helped the Cowboys win a Super Bowl, dominated at cornerback like none other and became the first true two-way player since Roy Green in the 1980s.
1995
Sanders signs a record $35 million contract, including $13 million guaranteed, with the Cowboys on Sept. 9, but had to have surgery on his left ankle a few weeks later due to a baseball injury while with the Cincinnati Reds. He made his first appearance and start on Oct. 29 in the Cowboys' 28-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons. His first touchdown as a Cowboy came in a divisional playoff win over Philadelphia on a 21-yard reverse in the second quarter. It was the first rushing touchdown of his career. In the Cowboys' 27-17 win over Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XXX, he had a 47-yard reception, a pass deflection, one tackle and returned a punt 11 yards. He earned All-Pro honors.
1996
Sanders played cornerback and wide receiver in the first 11 games to join 1980s standout Roy Green as a threat from either side of the ball. He finished the season with 16 starts on defense and eight on offense. He had 45 tackles and two interceptions. He also had 36 catches for 475 yards. In the divisional playoff loss to Carolina, Sanders fractured the orbit of his right eye in the fourth quarter.
1997
Earned Pro Bowl honors despite missing the final three regular-season games with a fractured rib. He only had two interceptions because quarterbacks continued not to challenge his side of the field. Yet, he returned one (off Brett Favre) 50 yards for a touchdown. He also had an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown against Chicago. In a Thanksgiving Day game against Tennessee, he fractured his rib on a punt return and was inactive the remainder of the season.
1998
Another Pro Bowl and All-Pro season after leading the league in punt return average at 15.6 with six of 30-or-more yards and two for touchdowns and five interceptions. In a Monday night game at the New York Giants, he returned a punt 59 yards for a touchdown and returned an interception 71 yards for another score. Later in the season, he had a 69-yard punt return for a touchdown against Philadelphia. He sprained his left big toe in Week 10 and aggravated it in Week 11, missing the final five games of the regular season. He returned for the wild-card playoff loss against Arizona and had three tackles and a 41-yard punt return.
1996
In his final season in Dallas, Sanders again showed why he was the most feared punt returner in the game. He averaged 11.5 yards on 30 returns with a long of 76 yards and one touchdown in 14 games played. The touchdown came on a 70-yard return against Washington. He also had three interceptions and forced a fumble. Dallas lost 27-10 at Minnesota in the wild-card game. He was released the following June.
credit: star-telegram.com