Post by prossman on Jul 2, 2009 10:55:33 GMT -7
DC.COM: Cowboys Top 50: Prime Time Deion Sanders Was More Than A Shut-Down Corner
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Cowboys Top 50
Prime Time Deion Sanders Was More Than A Shut-Down Corner
June 29, 2009 11:32 PM
The Cowboys may be getting ready for a new chapter with the opening of their stadium in Arlington, but this also marks the 50th anniversary season for the club.
With the help of a nine-person panel, DallasCowboys.com decided to compile a list of the Top 50 players in team history. The panel included Brad Sham, the play-by-play radio voice of the Cowboys for 32 years, Dallascowboys.com columnist Mickey Spagnola, and website beat writers Nick Eatman, Rob Phillips and Josh Ellis. Also on the panel were Bill Jones, a Dallas-area broadcaster for more than 25 years, along with Cowboys TV and radio producers Jon Ingham, Bill Carruthers and Douglas Barricklow.
Each day we'll count down from 50, providing a quick look back and highlighting another key player that has helped build the Cowboys to America's Team status.
20. Deion Sanders
Position: Cornerback
Cowboys Career: 1995-1999
Honors: Made four Pro Bowls in five years; All-time leader in Cowboys history with 13.3-yard punt return average.
Highest Ranking From Panel: 9
At the start of the 1995 season, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones really wanted to sign Deion Sanders. Not only did he see firsthand what the All-world cornerback did for the rival 49ers the year before in leading San Francisco to a Super Bowl title and ending the Cowboys' chances of three-straight championships, but also signing players like Sanders were exactly the kinds of moves that excited Jones more than anything else.
Before the season started, Jerry really wanted Deion. After the first game, the Cowboys needed him. That's because an Achilles injury to cornerback Kevin Smith ended his season less than one half into the year.
The Cowboys went out and signed Deion Sanders to a record-setting free-agent deal worth $35 million. While the contract was rather unheard of for a defensive player, especially one that continued to play professional baseball in the off-season, Sanders had already proved he was worth it.
And he proved it again for the Cowboys, helping the defense get back to form in 1995. While Sanders played just nine games, he anchored the defense and helped raise the level of play opposite cornerback Larry Brown, whose two interceptions in Super Bowl XXX sealed the win over Pittsburgh and earned him game MVP honors.
Sanders wasn't the most physical player in the league and he didn't claim to be. But he was simply the best shut-down cornerback of his time and arguably the best ever.
As dominant as he was covering receivers, Sanders was just as exciting returning kicks. In five seasons in Dallas, Deion returned four punts for touchdowns and scored three more defensive touchdowns.
But that wasn't enough for the Cowboys. In one of Jerry Jones' initial selling points to land Deion, he promised the superstar he would get a chance to get significant time on offense. In 1996, with Michael Irvin suspended for the first five games, Sanders started full-time on offense, becoming one of the first true two-ways players since the 1950s.
Sanders wasn't the most polished receiver, but just getting the ball in his hands was crucial to the Cowboys. In 1998, after a huge Monday Night Football win over the Giants in New York, the NFL created a special weekly award for Sanders, calling him the "Prime Time" Player of the Week for his efforts. Sanders returned a punt for a touchdown and picked off two passes, also returning one for a score. If that wasn't enough, he caught a 55-yard pass on offense, too.
Whether it was football or baseball, or offense, defense and special teams, Deion Sanders truly could do it all.
The fact he played just five seasons in Dallas certainly lowered his stock on this list, considering Deion Sanders is arguably the greatest cornerback to ever play the game.
21. Cornell Green (1962-74)
22. Charles Haley (1992-96)
23. DeMarcus Ware (1990-96)
24. John Niland (1966-74)
25. Jason Witten (2003-present)
-----------------------------------
26. Ed "Too Tall" Jones (1974-78; 80-89)
27. Everson Walls (1981-89)
28. Jay Novacek (1990-96)
29. Charlie Waters (1970-78; 80-81)
30. Nate Newton (1986-98)
-----------------------------------
31. George Andrie (1962-72)
32. Danny White (1976-88)
33. Erik Williams (1991-2000)
34. Calvin Hill (1965-78)
35. Herschel Walker (1986-89; 1996-97)
-----------------------------------
36. Tony Hill (1977-86)
37. Daryl Johnston (1989-99)
38. Billy Joe DuPree (1973-83)
39. Jethro Pugh (1965-78)
40. La'Roi Glover (2002-05)
-----------------------------------
41. Mark Tuinei (1983-97)
42. Leon Lett (1991-2000)
43. Flozell Adams (1998-present)
44. Pat Donovan (1975-83)
45. Ralph Neely (1965-77)
-----------------------------------
46. Terrell Owens (2006-08)
47. Walt Garrison (1966-74)
48. Bill Bates (1983-2007)
49. Tony Romo (2003-present)
50. Mark Stepnoski (1989-94; 1999-2001)
Top Honorable Mention:
Jim Jeffcoat
Frank Clarke
Roy Williams
Doug Cosbie
Thomas Henderson
Bob Breunig
Alvin Harper
Dennis Thurman
Robert Newhouse
Russell Maryland
Duane Thomas
Jerry Tubbs
Larry Cole
Herb Scott
Dave Manders
Ken Norton
Preston Pearson
Dave Edwards
Greg Ellis
Eugene Lockhart
Dexter Coakley
D.D. Lewis
__________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cowboys Top 50
Prime Time Deion Sanders Was More Than A Shut-Down Corner
June 29, 2009 11:32 PM
The Cowboys may be getting ready for a new chapter with the opening of their stadium in Arlington, but this also marks the 50th anniversary season for the club.
With the help of a nine-person panel, DallasCowboys.com decided to compile a list of the Top 50 players in team history. The panel included Brad Sham, the play-by-play radio voice of the Cowboys for 32 years, Dallascowboys.com columnist Mickey Spagnola, and website beat writers Nick Eatman, Rob Phillips and Josh Ellis. Also on the panel were Bill Jones, a Dallas-area broadcaster for more than 25 years, along with Cowboys TV and radio producers Jon Ingham, Bill Carruthers and Douglas Barricklow.
Each day we'll count down from 50, providing a quick look back and highlighting another key player that has helped build the Cowboys to America's Team status.
20. Deion Sanders
Position: Cornerback
Cowboys Career: 1995-1999
Honors: Made four Pro Bowls in five years; All-time leader in Cowboys history with 13.3-yard punt return average.
Highest Ranking From Panel: 9
At the start of the 1995 season, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones really wanted to sign Deion Sanders. Not only did he see firsthand what the All-world cornerback did for the rival 49ers the year before in leading San Francisco to a Super Bowl title and ending the Cowboys' chances of three-straight championships, but also signing players like Sanders were exactly the kinds of moves that excited Jones more than anything else.
Before the season started, Jerry really wanted Deion. After the first game, the Cowboys needed him. That's because an Achilles injury to cornerback Kevin Smith ended his season less than one half into the year.
The Cowboys went out and signed Deion Sanders to a record-setting free-agent deal worth $35 million. While the contract was rather unheard of for a defensive player, especially one that continued to play professional baseball in the off-season, Sanders had already proved he was worth it.
And he proved it again for the Cowboys, helping the defense get back to form in 1995. While Sanders played just nine games, he anchored the defense and helped raise the level of play opposite cornerback Larry Brown, whose two interceptions in Super Bowl XXX sealed the win over Pittsburgh and earned him game MVP honors.
Sanders wasn't the most physical player in the league and he didn't claim to be. But he was simply the best shut-down cornerback of his time and arguably the best ever.
As dominant as he was covering receivers, Sanders was just as exciting returning kicks. In five seasons in Dallas, Deion returned four punts for touchdowns and scored three more defensive touchdowns.
But that wasn't enough for the Cowboys. In one of Jerry Jones' initial selling points to land Deion, he promised the superstar he would get a chance to get significant time on offense. In 1996, with Michael Irvin suspended for the first five games, Sanders started full-time on offense, becoming one of the first true two-ways players since the 1950s.
Sanders wasn't the most polished receiver, but just getting the ball in his hands was crucial to the Cowboys. In 1998, after a huge Monday Night Football win over the Giants in New York, the NFL created a special weekly award for Sanders, calling him the "Prime Time" Player of the Week for his efforts. Sanders returned a punt for a touchdown and picked off two passes, also returning one for a score. If that wasn't enough, he caught a 55-yard pass on offense, too.
Whether it was football or baseball, or offense, defense and special teams, Deion Sanders truly could do it all.
The fact he played just five seasons in Dallas certainly lowered his stock on this list, considering Deion Sanders is arguably the greatest cornerback to ever play the game.
21. Cornell Green (1962-74)
22. Charles Haley (1992-96)
23. DeMarcus Ware (1990-96)
24. John Niland (1966-74)
25. Jason Witten (2003-present)
-----------------------------------
26. Ed "Too Tall" Jones (1974-78; 80-89)
27. Everson Walls (1981-89)
28. Jay Novacek (1990-96)
29. Charlie Waters (1970-78; 80-81)
30. Nate Newton (1986-98)
-----------------------------------
31. George Andrie (1962-72)
32. Danny White (1976-88)
33. Erik Williams (1991-2000)
34. Calvin Hill (1965-78)
35. Herschel Walker (1986-89; 1996-97)
-----------------------------------
36. Tony Hill (1977-86)
37. Daryl Johnston (1989-99)
38. Billy Joe DuPree (1973-83)
39. Jethro Pugh (1965-78)
40. La'Roi Glover (2002-05)
-----------------------------------
41. Mark Tuinei (1983-97)
42. Leon Lett (1991-2000)
43. Flozell Adams (1998-present)
44. Pat Donovan (1975-83)
45. Ralph Neely (1965-77)
-----------------------------------
46. Terrell Owens (2006-08)
47. Walt Garrison (1966-74)
48. Bill Bates (1983-2007)
49. Tony Romo (2003-present)
50. Mark Stepnoski (1989-94; 1999-2001)
Top Honorable Mention:
Jim Jeffcoat
Frank Clarke
Roy Williams
Doug Cosbie
Thomas Henderson
Bob Breunig
Alvin Harper
Dennis Thurman
Robert Newhouse
Russell Maryland
Duane Thomas
Jerry Tubbs
Larry Cole
Herb Scott
Dave Manders
Ken Norton
Preston Pearson
Dave Edwards
Greg Ellis
Eugene Lockhart
Dexter Coakley
D.D. Lewis
__________________