Early Life and Education of Deion Sanders: A Complete Timeline

An overview of the childhood and early education of Deion Sanders, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.

Deion Sanders is an American football coach, currently the head coach at the University of Colorado-Boulder. He is a former professional football and baseball player, playing 14 seasons in the NFL and 9 seasons in MLB. He played for teams such as the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Yankees, and Atlanta Braves. Sanders is the only athlete to have played in both a Super Bowl and a World Series, winning two Super Bowl titles.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

August 9, 1967: Deion Sanders Born

On August 9, 1967, Deion Luwynn Sanders Sr. was born. He is now an American football coach at the University of Colorado-Boulder and a former professional football and baseball player.

Others born on this day/year

1985: All-Century Team Honoree

In 1985, Deion Sanders was named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team, which selected the top 33 players in the 100-year history of high school football in the state.

1986: Batting Average

In 1986, Deion Sanders achieved a batting average of .331 while playing baseball at Florida State under coach Mike Martin.

1986: Third-Team All-American

In 1986, Deion Sanders was named a third-team All-American while playing for Florida State University.

May 16, 1987: Conference Championships

On May 16, 1987, Deion Sanders participated in the Metro Conference baseball semifinal game, ran a leg of a 4 × 100 relay, and then played in the baseball championship game against Cincinnati. The FSU track team was the overall conference champion, and the baseball team also won the conference title.

1987: Stolen Bases

In 1987, Deion Sanders compiled 27 stolen bases while playing baseball at Florida State.

1987: Consensus All-American Cornerback

In 1987, Deion Sanders was recognized as a consensus All-American cornerback for Florida State University.

1988: "Deion Sanders rule" creation

In 1988, Deion Sanders did not attend classes or take final exams during the fall semester of his senior year at Florida State, yet played in the Sugar Bowl against Auburn. This caused the state legislature to create the "Deion Sanders rule".

1988: Jim Thorpe Award and Punt Return Leader

In 1988, Deion Sanders won the Jim Thorpe Award and led the nation in punt return average while playing for Florida State University.

1988: Jim Thorpe Award

In 1988, Deion Sanders won the Jim Thorpe Award while playing college football as a cornerback for the Florida State Seminoles.

1989: Marriage to Carolyn Chambers

In 1989, Deion Sanders married Carolyn Chambers, with whom he had two children.

1989: Sugar Bowl Win

In 1989, during the 1988 postseason, Deion Sanders made an interception with five seconds left to seal Florida State's 13–7 win over Auburn in the Sugar Bowl.

1990: "The Bo and Prime Time Show"

In 1990, Deion Sanders faced Bo Jackson five times on the baseball field, highlighted by a game on July 17 billed as "The Bo and Prime Time Show." During this game, Sanders hit an inside-the-park home run.

1995: Jersey Retirement at Florida State

In 1995, Deion Sanders' No. 2 jersey was retired at Florida State University due to his accolades.

1997: Suicide Attempt

In 1997, Deion Sanders, while playing for the Reds, attempted suicide by driving a car off a cliff in Cincinnati due to a difficult time in his life as his first marriage was ending.

1998: Divorce from Carolyn Chambers

In 1998, Deion Sanders divorced Carolyn Chambers.

1999: Marriage to Pilar Biggers-Sanders

In 1999, Deion Sanders married Pilar Biggers-Sanders, with whom he had three children.

September 2, 2005: Hurricane Katrina Relief Challenge

On September 2, 2005, Deion Sanders challenged all professional athletes to donate $1,000 each to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

July 22, 2008: Appearance on Celebrity Family Feud

On July 22, 2008, Deion Sanders appeared with his family on Celebrity Family Feud, competing against the Kardashian family.

2012: Head Coach for Prime Prep Academy

In 2012, Deion Sanders became the head coach for the Prime Prep Academy, which he co-founded.

2012: Co-founding of Prime Prep Academy

In 2012, Deion Sanders co-founded the charter school Prime Prep Academy.

2013: Continued Role at Prime Prep Academy

Deion Sanders continued as the head coach for Prime Prep Academy in 2013, amidst controversies regarding his position.

2013: Custody Dispute with Pilar Sanders

In 2013, Deion Sanders and Pilar Sanders had a bitter custody dispute over their three children, and a Texas jury voted to give Deion Sanders sole custody of their two sons and joint custody over their daughter.

2014: Featured on Running Wild with Bear Grylls

In 2014, Deion Sanders was featured on Running Wild with Bear Grylls, where he hiked in the desert of southern Utah for two days.

2015: Victory on Lip Sync Battle

In 2015, Deion Sanders competed against Justin Bieber on Spike's Lip Sync Battle and won with performances of "Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry and "Like a Virgin" by Madonna.

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2015: Divorce from Pilar Biggers-Sanders

In 2015, Deion Sanders divorced Pilar Biggers-Sanders.

2015: Head Coach for Triple A Academy

In 2015, Deion Sanders was hired as the head coach for Triple A Academy, where he coached for two seasons.

2015: CEO of FOCUS Academies and Head Coach at Triple A Academy

In 2015, Deion Sanders was named the CEO of FOCUS Academies and the head coach at Triple A Academy, leading the team to face his alma mater.

2015: Closure of Prime Prep Academy

In 2015, Prime Prep Academy, co-founded by Deion Sanders, shut down due to a lack of focus on academics, poor management, and accumulated debt.

January 21, 2017: Appearance on Tiny House Nation

On January 21, 2017, Deion Sanders and his girlfriend Tracey Edmonds were featured on an episode of Tiny House Nation.

August 17, 2017: Offensive Coordinator at Trinity Christian-Cedar Hill

On August 17, 2017, Deion Sanders switched coaching positions to become the offensive coordinator at Trinity Christian-Cedar Hill high school in Cedar Hill, Texas, where his sons played.

2017: Offensive Coordinator for Trinity Christian High School

In 2017, Deion Sanders became the offensive coordinator for Trinity Christian High School, coaching his sons Shilo, Shedeur, and Deion Jr.

2018: Appearance on Undercover Boss

In 2018, Deion Sanders appeared in disguise on CBS' Undercover Boss, meeting with youth coaches and the less fortunate.

2020: Graduation from Talladega College

In 2020, Deion Sanders graduated from Talladega College with a bachelor's degree in business administration with an emphasis on organizational management.

2021: Foot Surgeries and Amputation

In 2021, Deion Sanders underwent several foot surgeries and had two toes on his left foot amputated due to blood clots.

2025: NFL Draft and Free Agency for Sons

In the 2025 NFL draft, Deion Sanders's son Shedeur was selected in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns, and his son Shilo was signed by the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent.