‘Numbers fool you’ – Shannon Sharpe wades into Deion Sanders-Asante Samuel beef with controversial ‘T-Step’ take
Deion Sanders and Asante Samuel have taken over the airwaves thanks to a social media beef during the pre-NFL Draft lull. With little action to speak of — aside from Aaron Rodgers‘ protracted search for a starting job — the two iconic cornerbacks are providing the entertainment. GettySamuel was a renowned ball hawk thanks to his quick feet[/caption] What started with Coach Prime playfully poking fun at the T-Step technique for defensive backs has erupted into a full-blown feud that is dragging in talking heads from all corners. “If one of my players do that, I’m ripping his facemask off,” Sanders joked at the Big 12 Pro Day while discussing the move, which involves a DB taking a quick step forward before driving off with the other foot. “Once again do not listen to this foolishness… of course he never learned how to T-Step his athletic ability was on another for his time. T-Step is the best technique to get to the football, not running out of the break. This is comedy,” Samuel, who was a master of the T-Step, fired back. As the war of words escalated between two legends of the game, who won two Super Bowls apiece, New England Patriots icon Samuel went to the numbers. He posted an image showing that he had only two fewer interceptions than Sanders (51 vs 53) despite Prime having 35 more NFL appearances. He also had two more postseason picks for good measure. Shannon Sharpe and Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson discussed the feuding cornerbacks on their ‘Nightcap’ podcast. The former entered the Hall of Fame thanks to his stellar career at tight end, while Ocho racked up 11,059 receiving yards and 69 touchdowns “Asante, I love you, bro. I think you’re phenomenal, but you’re not in [Prime] Time’s realm,” insisted Sharpe. “That’s not even close. You’re not. Nobody will ever say Asante Samuel and Deion Sanders in the same breath. You are fabulous. That’s the greatest corner to ever put on pads and a helmet. “Where you think this term came from? The cover corner, the shutdown corner. GettySanders is probably the greatest cornerback of all time[/caption] Sharpe was a seventh-round draft pick and ended up in Canton977971061 “You can put all these stats up. Bro, you’re not [Prime] time. I get it. Your technique. You say the T-Step work for you… You felt the T-step gave you that bigger burst. No problem. Clearly, it worked. “You are a pro bowler. You won Super Bowls. You got 50 plus interceptions. You just not Time and it’s okay.” Ocho tried to take a softer stance. “There’s different skillsets for different players,” he explained. “Deion Sanders, his ability to get in and out of those breaks is phenomenal. “Asante Samuel, he’s the greatest T-Stepper of all time. The way that Deion likes to get out of breaks, it works for him. One might not like it, but the other likes it.” When the numbers Samuel posted came up, Sharpe’s rebuke was swift. NFL's Greatest...... Ranking the top 10...... Quarterbacks of all-time – Can anyone better Tom Brady? Wide receivers of all-time – Does Randy Moss or Jerry Rice come out on top? Running backs of all-time – Stacking Jim Brown, Barrie Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmett Smith and more Tight ends of all-time – How does Travis Kelce compare? “I don’t look at stats, I watch tape,” he insisted. To illustrate his point, he brought up the example of Hall of Fame cornerback Darrelle Revis, who had 29 career picks, and asked if anybody would take Samuel over him. Some players are born with physical gifts that give them a natural advantage over the opposition. Others are master technicians who devote countless hours to honing their craft looking to make the most of what they were given. Ultimately, it is hard to come down on either side of the argument as both Prime and Samuel have two rings thanks to their differing approaches. Stay up to date with the latest from across the NFL via our talkSPORT Facebook page, and subscribe to our Endzone YouTube channel for news, view and exclusive interviews as we build up to the NFL Draft in April
Deion Sanders and Asante Samuel have taken over the airwaves thanks to a social media beef during the pre-NFL Draft lull.
With little action to speak of — aside from Aaron Rodgers‘ protracted search for a starting job — the two iconic cornerbacks are providing the entertainment.
What started with Coach Prime playfully poking fun at the T-Step technique for defensive backs has erupted into a full-blown feud that is dragging in talking heads from all corners.
“If one of my players do that, I’m ripping his facemask off,” Sanders joked at the Big 12 Pro Day while discussing the move, which involves a DB taking a quick step forward before driving off with the other foot.
“Once again do not listen to this foolishness… of course he never learned how to T-Step his athletic ability was on another for his time. T-Step is the best technique to get to the football, not running out of the break. This is comedy,” Samuel, who was a master of the T-Step, fired back.
As the war of words escalated between two legends of the game, who won two Super Bowls apiece, New England Patriots icon Samuel went to the numbers.
He posted an image showing that he had only two fewer interceptions than Sanders (51 vs 53) despite Prime having 35 more NFL appearances. He also had two more postseason picks for good measure.
Shannon Sharpe and Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson discussed the feuding cornerbacks on their ‘Nightcap’ podcast.
The former entered the Hall of Fame thanks to his stellar career at tight end, while Ocho racked up 11,059 receiving yards and 69 touchdowns
“Asante, I love you, bro. I think you’re phenomenal, but you’re not in [Prime] Time’s realm,” insisted Sharpe.
“That’s not even close. You’re not. Nobody will ever say Asante Samuel and Deion Sanders in the same breath. You are fabulous. That’s the greatest corner to ever put on pads and a helmet.
“Where you think this term came from? The cover corner, the shutdown corner.
“You can put all these stats up. Bro, you’re not [Prime] time. I get it. Your technique. You say the T-Step work for you… You felt the T-step gave you that bigger burst. No problem. Clearly, it worked.
“You are a pro bowler. You won Super Bowls. You got 50 plus interceptions. You just not Time and it’s okay.”
Ocho tried to take a softer stance.
“There’s different skillsets for different players,” he explained. “Deion Sanders, his ability to get in and out of those breaks is phenomenal.
“Asante Samuel, he’s the greatest T-Stepper of all time. The way that Deion likes to get out of breaks, it works for him. One might not like it, but the other likes it.”
When the numbers Samuel posted came up, Sharpe’s rebuke was swift.
NFL's Greatest......
Ranking the top 10......
Quarterbacks of all-time – Can anyone better Tom Brady?
Wide receivers of all-time – Does Randy Moss or Jerry Rice come out on top?
Running backs of all-time – Stacking Jim Brown, Barrie Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmett Smith and more
Tight ends of all-time – How does Travis Kelce compare?
“I don’t look at stats, I watch tape,” he insisted.
To illustrate his point, he brought up the example of Hall of Fame cornerback Darrelle Revis, who had 29 career picks, and asked if anybody would take Samuel over him.
Some players are born with physical gifts that give them a natural advantage over the opposition.
Others are master technicians who devote countless hours to honing their craft looking to make the most of what they were given.
Ultimately, it is hard to come down on either side of the argument as both Prime and Samuel have two rings thanks to their differing approaches.
Stay up to date with the latest from across the NFL via our talkSPORT Facebook page, and subscribe to our Endzone YouTube channel for news, view and exclusive interviews as we build up to the NFL Draft in April
