"He was exceptional": Deion Sanders' former broadcast partner Jim Nantz reflects on Prime's booth time before sliding into coaching career
Deion Sanders has had a varied career in football, having a go at the majority of jobs surrounding the sport.
Once a successful football player who also played professional baseball at the same time, Sanders retired in 2001. This retirement would be short-lived, as he returned to the field in 2004 with the Baltimore Ravens.
But during those three years out, Sanders was still an active part of the football landscape. He worked for CBS as a pre-game commentator for “The NFL Show."
At the time, the show was hosted by distinguished broadcaster Jim Nantz, who recently looked back on his time working with Deion Sanders.
“I had a wonderful time working with Deion … I mean, a magical time working with him. He was extraordinarily good at it. And we did a lot of segments together. It was a wonderful friendship and partnership; (it’s) still there. We just don’t talk as often, but I’ve been rooting for him every step of the way. He’s had an amazing life, and he worked really hard at being good at television, and he was exceptional.”
This was Sanders' first voyage into the world of sports broadcasting, and Nantz guided him throughout the whole process, making it as easy as possible for Sanders to fit into the show.
Additionally, Nantz saw it fit to never put Deion into a position in which he would struggle to respond. This meant that Sanders would not be asked tricky questions, unexpected questions, or questions about things that Sanders did not know much about.
“I think he (Sanders) needed to be assured that he was going to have someone to be there as a true teammate, working with him and looking after him. And I wanted him to know that he would never ever, under my stewardship, be put in a position that would make him look bad.”
This all combined to create an atmosphere in which Deion was allowed to flourish in his new role, and which created a close relationship between the two men.
Both left the show in 2004, with Nantz moving on to become CBS's lead commentator for their NFL coverage, and Sanders rejoined the NFL.
Read
Make sure you look everybody in eye": Deion Sanders makes honest confession about alerting his sons Shedeur and Shilo Sanders before coming to Vegas
Did Deion Sanders return to broadcasting?
Deion Sanders did return to broadcasting after his second retirement from the NFL.
He worked for the NFL Network after his retirement and was most notably involved in the pre-game show for Thursday Night Football during the 2010 season.
He then returned to CBS in 2014 to again work Thursday nights.
Alongside his sports broadcasting, Sanders was involved in many reality shows, including Undercover Boss and Lip Sync Battle.
Today, Sanders has been successful as a head coach, first with Jackson State and now Colorado, with his sons Shedeur and Shilo.
Read
"I need you to get out of my life": Deion Sanders once told son, Shilo, to leave Jackson State after his hilarious mimicry