Deion Sanders on sign-stealing: 'You've still got to stop it'

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has weighed in on the topic of sign-stealing. It became a major talking point over the last week in light of allegations against Michigan, but Sanders took a unique perspective.

When opposing teams are signaling plays, it’s customary to try and pick up what they’re trying to say. It’s part of the gamesmanship of trying to gain an advantage. Sanders noted that in his argument.

But Coach Prime took a different angle. Players and coaches could know every sign in an opposing team’s playbook, yet they could still lose because it doesn’t come down to just knowing what’s coming. They still have to make the play.

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“I mean, everyone’s trying to get an edge,” Sanders said during his Tuesday press conference. “Everyone’s trying to get whatever edge they can. You can have someone’s whole game plan, they could mail it to you. You’ve still got to stop it.”

A two-sport sensation in his heyday in the NFL and MLB, Deion Sanders said there’s a difference between the two when players know what’s coming. In baseball, being able to prepare for a breaking ball means it’s easier to make contact and get on base. It’s just bat to ball.

In football, though, there’s more to it. The player still have to keep up with the play and execute. He compared it to the notable 49ers and Cowboys teams he played on, which had star players and it was obvious where the ball was going. It all came down to execution.

“In football, it’s not as pronounced as baseball,” Sanders said. “If I know a curveball is coming, I got you. With football, I don’t give a darn — if you know a sweep is coming, you’ve still got to stop it, physically. It’s a physical game. You’ve got to stop it. So, that’s a little tough. I don’t buy into a lot of that stuff that someone’s stealing this, stealing that. I don’t buy a lot of that. You’ve still got to play the game.

“Back in our glory days with San Francisco, as well as the Cowboys, you know darn well Emmitt Smith’s getting the ball. You know darn well Mike Irvin’s running the comeback. You know darn well Jay Novacheck’s going to do what he’s going to do. And you couldn’t stop it. It is what it is. Stop it.”

Michigan analyst Connor Stalions is at the center of the investigation, allegedly buying tickets to opposing teams’ games as part of the plan. He has been suspended, Michigan announced last week. The investigation is still ongoing, and head coach Jim Harbaugh denied knowledge of the situation last week.