Deion Sanders could be next FSU head coach

Former Atlanta Falcon and Atlanta Brave Deion Sanders is rumored to be among a pool of candidates to become the next head football coach at Florida State University.

Sanders, a Hall of Fame cornerback and currently an NFL Network analyst, is reportedly a candidate to replace the recently fired Willie McTaggart at FSU, which Sanders attended. The rumor was first reported Thursday by the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.

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Sanders was a three-sport athlete at Florida State when the Falcons took him in the fifth round of the 1989 NFL draft.

His first play came against the Los Angeles Rams as a punt returner, and Sanders fumbled the return. However, the play was called back on a penalty, and the Rams had to re-kick.

Sanders again fumbled the ball, but then recovered to run the ball all the way to the end zone for a touchdown, thus setting the groundwork to become one of the most electrifying athletes to ever play in Atlanta.

Sanders would also become Atlanta’s first player to take the field as both a professional football and baseball player during the same season.

Sanders played for four baseball teams over his career: the New York Yankees; Atlanta Braves; Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants. Besides the Falcons, he also played for the San Francisco 49ers; Dallas Cowboys; Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens.

On May 29, 1994, the Braves traded Deion Sanders to the Reds. The Braves acquired outfielder Roberto Kelly and pitcher Roger Etheridge. Sanders played four seasons for the Braves. He batted .277 for Atlanta and hit 22 homers. Sanders had 75 steals for the Braves in four seasons. Kelly hit .286 in 63 games for the Braves and Etheridge never played for the Braves. Sanders played four seasons for the Reds. He hit .260 for Cincinnati. He had 7 homers and 94 stolen bases in his 4 seasons with the Reds.

Sanders has no professional coaching experience. He played football, baseball and track at Florida State from 1986 through 1988, earning All-American honors in '87 and '88 and the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back in '88. Sanders' No. 2 jersey was retired at Doak Campbell Stadium in 1995.

A two-time Super Bowl champion and six-time first-team All-Pro, Sanders was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011. He is also a member of the Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame.

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Coach Prime Time? Deion Sanders could be FSU’s next coach