It was a relatively innocuous question, one that Deion Sanders not only answered, but illustrated why he's arguably the greatest cornerback in NFL history and still one of the sport's lively personalities.
Asked on Media Day if he was nervous about being one of 15 modern-era finalists for the 2011 Pro Football Hall of Fame class to be voted on Saturday, Sanders told a group of reporters, "Have you ever seen me nervous? Off-balance, stutter or stumble or slip or falter?
"I don't even perspire, I don't sweat. I don't get nervous."
Sanders' supreme self-confidence is required for cornerbacks because they're going to get beat. They need short memories. The thing with Sanders was, he was so good, so dangerous to quarterbacks, that they often chose not to throw near him.
Sanders won two Super Bowl titles with the 49ers and Cowboys (1995-99). A multi-talented athlete (he played on five Major League Baseball teams) and a true "shutdown" corner, Sanders made eight Pro Bowls and won the league's Defensive Player of the Year award in 1994 with the 49ers. He had nine career returns for touchdowns and nine career interceptions for touchdowns.
Sanders said he would be "blessed" to have his name enshrined in Canton if elected, calling the Hall of Fame "a great honor." But he admits his primary goal throughout his career was supporting his family.
"I played this game so I could take care of my mom for the rest of her life," Sanders said. "With all those accolades, those kinds of things come with success."
-*Rob
*@robphillips3 (Twitter)
