Deion Sanders is a trailblazer across various paths. He played both sides of the ball as a player. This set the precedent for his protege, Travis Hunter, to follow. Another trail he blazed, perhaps a more telling one, was iconic footballers foraying into the coaching realm. In particular, via HBCUs. Following his stint at Jackson State, a plethora of ex-NFL pros followed suit. Why is this more telling? It helps put into perspective who Deion Sanders is when it comes to his racial identity.

The term gets thrown around loosely. But Deion Sanders is the epitome of Black Excellence. This is someone who essentially came from nothing and has built an empire. One built with sweat and sheer talent. One that he’s leveraged for his family to bear the proverbial fruits of. A stand-up father, a man of faith, and most of all a role model for budding blacl kids across the country. The reverence Deion Sanders commands from the African American community stems from meshing style with substance. Owing to this, him calling himself “black history” is neither hyperbolic nor out of touch. But given the nature of this claim and it coming during BHM, it put Deion in a precarious spot.

For context, Deion Sanders took to IG during what was a routine haircut with his barber. When he asked his barber to speak to the camera, he began saying something along the lines of “Hey man, you know it’s February. Black History Month,” Deion cut him off right there and said something that got construed negatively by certain factions. “Hold on, I am black history,” he said as the two laughed away. Well, contrarianism is at an all-time high during this social media era. While most took it as either lighthearted banter or something veiled in truth, many complained about Deion reducing something as important in society to an individual. Alas, Prime has now addressed this controversy.

Deion Sanders guested on “We Got Time Today” over on TUBI. The host, Rocsi Diaz, confronted him about the aforementioned IG post. To this, Deion didn’t shy away from what he said. He doubled down. “I am black history,” he reiterated. “Give me mine,” he said as he lifted his arms up, asking for applause. The live audience obliged. Deion proceeded to say, “I want everybody to celebrate somebody every day. Like, somebody should call you [Rocsi]. I’m gonna call you. I’ll call you tomorrow [being like] ‘Rocsi…I’m proud of you, girl. You are one of the hardest working women in sports. Not in sports, in television, period. Forget sports television, period. You do your thing…You make it happen.” Look beneath the conspicuous meaning, which implies a very powerful message.

Deion was essentially explaining how Black people need to uplift each other. Be pillars of support through each others’ journeys. Rather than pull each other down. Appreciating those in the community will help propel them to new heights. Which will inadvertently raise the tide for everybody. This was a beautiful answer that drove home everything Deion Sanders stands for. Understanding the sentiment, Rocsi Diaz reciprocated appreciation for Deion, too. She went on to justify his claim of being “black history” on his behalf and presented tangible evidence, too.

Someone does feel Deion Sanders is black history, at least in the literal sense

In reply to Deion Sanders praising her work as a media personality, Rocsi said, “It’s funny. Because I know your personality. But when you posted, ‘I am black history,’ I thought about it. [At first] I was like…’of course he is.’” Her instinctive reaction was dismissive, thinking it’s just Deion being the eccentric personality he is. But then she came to a realization.

“Then, I thought, ‘Yeah, Deion is.’ I mean, you made history. You’re the only guy to play in the Super Bowl and the World Series. The only player to hit a home run and score touchdowns in the same week.” she remarked. Those achievements, as unreal as they are, do not even scratch the surface of Prime’s repertoire. 

Whatever your opinion of his coaching prowess or antics, Deion Sanders, the athlete, was a prototype. Beyond forgery, beyond imitation. 1 of 1. Additionally, he’s a great proponent of his community. He deserves his flowers during BHM as much as anybody.