Deion Sanders Net Worth

Deion Sanders’ net worth is in excess of $40 million. His salary as head football coach for Jackson State University is $300,000, but he donates much of that to charity. During the height of his football career, Sanders earned $7 million a year playing for the Dallas Cowboys. During the first year of his baseball career, he had a $4.4 million contract.

Who Is Deion Sanders?

Deion Sanders is a retired American professional football player who is now the head football coach at Jackson State University. Sanders also enjoys the unique distinction of having played both professional football and professional baseball simultaneously. In his football career, he played for the Atlanta Falcons, the San Francisco 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Redskins, and the Baltimore Ravens. During his baseball career, he played for the New York Yankees, the Atlanta Braves, the Cincinnati Reds and the San Francisco Giants.

Sanders was born in Fort Myers, Florida, the son of Connie Sanders and Mims Sanders. When Sanders was two years old, his parents divorced. Sanders was raised by his mother and her new husband, Willie Knight.

Sanders attended North Fort Myers High School. He played football, baseball, and basketball and was a Florida All-State honoree in all three sports. In 1985, the Kansas City Royals selected Sanders in the sixth round of the 1985 Major League Baseball draft. However, he opted to attend college.

Sanders attended Florida State University, played football and baseball, and ran for the track team.

Sanders has been married twice, to Carolyn Sanders, whom he divorced in 1998, and to Pilar Biggers-Sanders, whom he divorced in 2014. He has five children..

What Teams Has Deion Sanders Played For?

Sanders played football and baseball for Florida State University. He attended no classes in his last fall semester but still played in the Cotton Bowl at the end of the regular football season. The Florida General Assembly passed the “Deion Sanders Rule,” which required athletes attending state universities to attend classes in the semesters they played for teams.

After college, in 1989, Sanders was invited to baseball spring training and signed with the New York Yankees.  He was also signed with the Atlanta Falcons. He made his Major League Baseball debut in May 1989 and enjoyed the unique distinction of both hitting a home run for a major league team and scoring a touchdown for a professional NFL team in the same week.

Sanders played professional baseball for nine years for the Yankees, the Atlanta Braves, the Cincinnati Reds, and the San Francisco Giants. Playing for baseball and football teams sometimes proved a difficult juggling schedule for Sanders. In 1991, he hit a home run that allowed the Atlanta Braves to advance to the playoffs. However, his NFL contract obligated Sanders to report to the Atlanta Falcons the next day for training, and he missed the Braves’ post-season. He subsequently renegotiated his football contracts to allow him to participate in post-season games.

Sanders enjoyed a long career as a professional football player in the NFL. Between 1989 and 1993, he played for the Atlanta Falcons. Sanders played his 1994 season for the San Francisco 49ers before signing a contract with the Dallas Cowboys. Sanders’ multi-year contract paid him $35 million, with a $13 million signing bonus.

Sanders was released by the Cowboys in 2000 to comply with the NFL salary cap. Sanders signed a contract with the Washington Redskins. The seven-year contract was worth $56 million in salary. However, Sanders retired in 2001 after playing only one season.

In 2004, Sanders emerged from retirement, signing a contract with the Baltimore Ravens. He played in the 2004 and 2005 seasons before retiring completely from professional football in January 2006.

What Other Work Has Deion Sanders Done?

In 1884, Sanders released his debut rap album, Prime Time.

In 1998, Sanders published an autobiography entitled Power, Money, and Sex: How Success Almost Ruined My Life.

In 2006, Sanders became an owner of an Arena League Football team, the Austin Wranglers.

In 2012, Sanders founded a private school company in Texas. The company, Prime Prep Academy, faced frequent allegations of mismanagement and financial problems. Prime Prep Academy closed due to financial problems in 2015.

What Charitable Work Has Deion Sanders Done?

In 2005, Sanders undertook relief work after Hurricane Katrina. In addition to his own contribution, he challenged all other professional athletes to donate at least $1000 a piece, hoping to raise between $4 million and $5 million in this fashion.

Sanders has served as an individual mentor to promising young athletes on at least two occasions. In 2003, Sanders took an interest in the career of Devin Hester. Sanders advised Hester during his college career. Hester went on to have a successful career with the Chicago Bears and credits Sanders as an important influence on his life.

In 2007, Sanders attempted to adopt West Virginia high school athlete Noel Devine. Devine, whose parents had died, was a top recruit for the 2007 season. Sanders went on to mentor Devine, advising him to sign his letter of intent with West Virginia University.

What Awards Has Deion Sanders Won?

In 1988, Sanders received the Jim Thorpe Award, given to an outstanding multi-sport athlete.

What is Deion Sanders Doing Now?

Sanders is currently the head football coach for Jackson State University. Two of Sanders’ sons are students at Jackson State. Shilo Sanders played football for South Carolina for two seasons, then transferred to Jackson State in 2020. Shedeur Sanders enrolled at Jackson State in 2021.

In 2021, Sanders underwent foot surgery. Two of his toes were amputated after blood clots developed.

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