It’s fitting that the NFL Network has both Deion Sanders and Michael Irvin as part of their on-air talent roster. Both of these phenomenal athletes helped define what today’s NFL truly is with their physical talents and outsized personalities. Sanders and Irvin (the exclusive with him is coming tomorrow, it will be posted in a “Prime Time” slot) established the precedent of what a National Football League superstar must be in today’s mass-marketed, mass media landscape.
To my younger readers, I hope you realize that without Neon Deion or Irvin, who came into the league at almost the exact time a quarter century ago, you just don’t have a Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson, Richard Sherman or Darrelle Revis.
We covered a lot of ground in our exclusive interview at NFL on CBS Media Day. Deion Sanders has his own reality TV series on Oprah’s network, which is the highest rated show on the station. It was picked up for a second season. Deion’s Family Playbook is Saturdays at 10 ET on Own TV. Sanders also did an episode of Running Wild with Bear Grylls.
But we of course talked football, the NFL Network, the Dallas Cowboys, the Seattle Seahawks, the NFC West (which is the toughest division in football) and the upcoming season.
And you got to love his Johnny Gill reference in the middle of this interview. That was pretty sweet. Of course, what would you expect from a man who perfected the art of the $ in place of a S, long before rapper Ma$e did. (You recall the Deion $anders signature…maybe I should legally change my name to Paul M. Bank$)
Here’s the podcast of my visit to the corner of 21st and Prime:
And yes, I threw in a reference to his rap album, from way back in 1994. I mean I don’t care what anyone says, “Must be the Money” is a still A JAM! Have a listen below:
Follow Deion Sanders on Twitter @DeionSanders, watch him on NFL Network and Deion’s Family Playbook.
More exclusive interviews from NFL on CBS/NFL Network Media Day:
Paul M. Banks owns The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports and Yahoo! He’s been a guest on news talk shows all across the world. He’s also a special contributor to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. Banks has been featured in numerous media outlets including NFL.com, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Deadspin, ESPN, NBC, CBS, the History Channel and more. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)