Jerry Rice once revealed why he couldn’t stand Deion Sanders-“I hated that guy”
Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders were two of the biggest names in the National Football League in the 1990s. And, while fans thoroughly enjoyed watching the two square off, it wasn't that fun for Jerry Rice.
Last year, Rice was a guest on comedian and actor, Kevin Hart's podcast "Cold as Balls." Hart and his guests sit in an ice bath while he interviews them. The comedian asked the former NFL wide receiver about Deion Sanders. To which he immediately responded by saying that he 'hated him.'
Old school pic Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders http://t.co/trxRgJqP1W
When Hart asked why he said that he and Deion Sanders didn't get along on the football field. He said that with him being a wide receiver and Sanders a dominant defensive back, it made his job a lot harder. And, he had to always have a game plan when he was facing him.
“I hated that guy, man. We couldn’t get along. If Deion was on the opposite side, it was going down the next day. Deion was one of the fastest defensive backs. I had to double move, triple move up the line of scrimmage. I had to come to the line with a plan.”
Jerry Rice said that the only time he had a true advantage over Sanders was when it was a running play. The former San Francisco 49ers standout said that Deion Sanders didn't want to tackle him when it was a run, so he was able to break away.
Were Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders ever teammates?
Jerry Rice told Kevin Hart that Deion Sanders was essentially his arch-nemesis on the football field. But, there was a time when the two were teammates in the National Football League.
Sanders was initially drafted by the Atlanta Falcons with the fifth overall pick in 1989. After five seasons, he signed as a free agent with the San Francisco 49ers and became teammates with the wide receiver. He played just the 1994 NFL season with the 49ers, so that was the only time the two were teammates.
Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders in 1994. 🍿 https://t.co/cvEtlzYS76
But, Sanders had career-high numbers that season which included six interceptions, three of which he returned for touchdowns. Sanders then went on to sign with the Dallas Cowboys where he helped them build that dynasty in the mid-1990s.
Where the two would end up facing off several times as the 49ers and Cowboys rivalry intensified.