Deion Sanders Shoe Style Through the Years [PHOTOS]
In 2023, Deion Sanders, along with Allen Iverson and Derek Jeter, were the first trio of athletes to be inducted into The GQ Sports Style Hall of Fame—and for good reason. Sanders has been the definition of flashy and cool, bringing a blend of flyness, style and confidence that had yet to be seen in the NFL. From the dollar sign earrings the football star wore during Draft Day in 1989 to his own signature Nike sneaker in 1993, Sanders' influence on football expanded way beyond the field. His sense of style also shined through during games and inspired other players, while his penchant for sparkling jewelry—from stacked gold chains and bracelets to diamond rings—was passed down across the league and continues to be on full display with present day athletes.
Sanders played in the NFL for 14 seasons, as well as an additional nine seasons of Major League Baseball with several teams. He won two Super Bowl titles and made one World Series appearance in 1992, making him the only athlete to play in a Super Bowl and a World Series. When he was playing both football and baseball for the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta Braves in 1992, Sanders also signed his first contract with Nike. He released his first signature sneaker—the Air Diamond Turf—the following year. The sneakers and cleats continue to be fan favorites and lauded as one of the best as far as design and style among athletes. He parted ways with Nike at one point and signed with Under Armour in 2009, before reuniting with Nike in 2023 when he became the University of Colorado's football head coach.
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Now as Coach Prime, his style is a tad more subdued and his fashion choices have matured over the years. Yet he still carries a sense of flair, coolness and sophistication, and that same confidence that made him an overnight star all those years ago. Now that his son Shedeur Sanders has been drafted into the NFL, all eyes are on the Sanders family. Take a look back at some of Sanders' best red carpet moments, his best designer footwear choices and some of his most standout coaching looks over the years.
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Shedeur Sanders, Deion Sanders, Deion Sanders Jr. at the 14th Annual NFL Honors held at Saenger Theatre on February 06, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Tracey Edmonds and Deion Sanders attend the 12th annual NFL Honors at Symphony Hall on Feb. 09, 2023 in Phoenix, Ariz.
Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes watches action on the field before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on September 7, 2024 in Lincoln, Nebraska.
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 28: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes looks on from the sideline during a game against the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl Stadium on October 28, 2023 in Pasadena, California.
Jackson State Tigers coach Deion Sanders watches from the sideline area during the first quarter of the college football Cricket Celebration Bowl between the North Carolina Central Eagles and Jackson State Tigers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Dec. 17, 2022.
Deion Sanders head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes arrives for their game against the Utah Utes at Rice Eccles Stadium on November 25, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Deion Sanders (2nd from L) at the 13th Annual NFL Honors held at Resorts World Theatre on February 8, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Honorees Derek Jeter, Allen Iverson, and Deion Sanders attend the Inaugural GQ Sports Style Hall of Fame event hosted by GQ and honoring Deion Sanders, Allen Iverson and Derek Jeter at The Clayton House on February 11, 2023 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – FEBRUARY 02: Deion Sanders attends a special screening of Netflix's 'Coach Snoop: Season 1' at Saint Anthony Main Theatre on February 2, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo byfor Netflix)
Coach Prime Season 2 Deion Sanders, Peggy Coppom
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – FEBRUARY 05: TV personality/retired NFL player Deion Sanders walks the Blue Carpet at the 2015 Pepsi Rookie of the Year Award Ceremony at Pepsi Super Friday Night at Pier 70 on February 5, 2016 in San Francisco, California.
Deion Sanders
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 28: Professional football player Deion Sanders attends the AOL 2015 Newfront on April 28, 2015 in New York City.
Lip Sync Battle; Justin Bieber vs Deion Sanders
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 04: Deion Sanders attends the Pepsi NFL Anthems Kickoff Eve – Blue Carpet Arrivals at Hard Rock Cafe, Times Square on September 4, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
NEW YORK – MAY 12: Former football player Deion Sanders and his wife Pilar arrive for the NBC Universal Experience at Rockefeller Center as part of upfront week on May 12, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by)
LAS VEGAS – FEBRUARY 18: Deion Sanders (R) and his wife Pilar arrive at the 2007 NBA All-Star Game at the Thomas & Mack Center on February 18, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by)
WESTWOOD, CA – JULY 15: NFL Football player Deion Sanders (L) and former NFL player Michael Irvin attend the world premiere of 'K-19: The Widowmaker' at the Mann Village & Bruin Theatres on July 15, 2002 in Westwood, California. The film opens nationwide in theaters on Friday July 19, 2002. (Photo by)
MIAMI, FL- JANUARY 29: Deion Sanders #21 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after a play against the San Diego Chargers during Super Bowl XXIX on January 29, 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida. The Niners won the Super Bowl 49-26. (Photo by Focus) *** Local Caption *** Deion Sanders
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These are the prospects drafted and developed by Harris, Greenberg and their front office. Law ranked the Tigers' system 30th going into Harris' first season in charge, but the team's big-league roster is now full of players drafted in the Al Avila regime, led by the best pitcher in baseball in Tarik Skubal (who starts Friday against the Cubs) and hitters like Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, Dillon Dingler and Kerry Carpenter. What the Tigers seem to be doing well now, as opposed to before, is player development, the secret sauce to any successful organization. The young Tigers are improving and thriving. The farm system, headlined by A-ball hitters Max Clark and Kevin McGonigle, has time to mature. 'We set out to build a team full of young players that can win big-league games in different ways,' Harris said. 'I think that's the team that we have right now. This is a really fun team to watch, and it's a team that is just scratching the surface.' Meanwhile, Hoyer's vision for the Cubs is finally taking shape. He has a mix of veterans and young players, powered by a pair of MVP candidates in Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong. Like the Tigers, the Cubs are just a fun watch. They score a lot of runs in a variety of ways. Advertisement 'I think the longer I do this, the more I root for people as opposed to teams,' Harris said. 'There's a lot of good people in that organization. Jed is certainly one of them. When we're playing each other this weekend, I'm not going to pull for them. But I pull for a lot of these guys because I want them to be successful, and they built a hell of a team this year.' I joked with Hoyer that the Tigers are his 'AL team,' like when kids have a second-favorite team to root for. 'You don't spend that much time with people over a 10-year period and you develop real friendship,' Hoyer said. 'I've spent more time with Jeff and with Scott than probably any two people other than my wife during that period. I love how hard they work there, and obviously, watching their success at the end of last year and then this year, they deserve all of the credit.' Hoyer is also close friends with Detroit manager A.J. Hinch from their San Diego days, and the Cubs' former media relations guy, Peter Chase, landed in Detroit this season. And of course, there's Javy Báez, who has reinvigorated his career this season after hip surgery last year. Báez's last game of 2024 was that Aug. 22 loss in Chicago. He finished the season with a .184/.221/.294 slash line, and it looked like a DFA could be in his future. He had 'sunk cost' written all over him. That the team took off when he went on the shelf didn't go unnoticed. Much like his former star teammate in Chicago, Kris Bryant, Báez hadn't done much since signing a six-year, $140 million contract in Detroit before the 2022 season (and before Harris got there), making Hoyer look prescient, if not a little late, for his 2021 dismantling of the World Series core. In 216 total games in 2023-24, Baez hit just 15 homers and slugged .315. He came into spring training and said he'd play wherever Hinch wanted, but who would've thought he'd play such a big role on a first-place team again? Advertisement When Parker Meadows got hurt, Báez moved to center field. He thrived. 'A.J. knows I like playing outfield and I shag good in BP out there,' Báez said. 'With so many injuries that we had in spring training, he came to me and mentioned it, and I started smiling. So he knew it was a yes from me.' With Meadows back, Báez returned to the infield during the White Sox series and reminded people he's still El Mago. #JavierBáez — Javier Báez Page (@ElMagoJavy28) June 4, 2025 'For me, the best version of Javy is the one that's playing free and loose, the one that is just finding ways to help a team win,' Harris said. 'He's such a gifted athlete with elite baseball instincts, and when you surround him with a good baseball team, I think he finds ways to enhance the overall position playing group.' Báez was always one of Hoyer's favorite players, and if not for the pandemic, they might have nailed down a deal to keep him in Chicago. But Hoyer is doing more than fine with the guy Báez was traded for, Crow-Armstrong. It's looking like one of the best trades in Cubs history. Watching both on the same field this weekend should be a treat for baseball fans and executives. While Harris traveled to the North Side last season for the series, Hoyer won't be able to make the trip. 'Tell him I'll get him a signed Javy jersey if he comes,' Harris said. The message was passed along. But maybe Hoyer and Harris could find themselves in the same stadium again this fall with the biggest stakes imaginable. (Photo collage of Scott Harris and Jed Hoyer: Allison Farrand / Detroit Tigers; Griffin Quinn / Getty Images)
