David Justice speaks on media’s attempts to portray Deion Sanders as a “distraction” for Atlanta Braves team - “Never the case”

Deion Sanders has always been one of the biggest stars in sports. Whether playing football or baseball or coaching the Colorado Buffaloes, the spotlight always has found "Prime Time." However, large amounts of media attention can be seen as a distraction from important team matters, especially if that attention is focused on one player.

David Justice, a former teammate of Sanders, said the media attempted to portray Sanders's stints with the team last month on the "All Facts No Brakes" podcast with Keyshawn Johnson:

"Deion was never a distraction. Deion was one of the fellas." (Timestamp: 20:30.)

Deion Sanders is mostly known for his successful football career, winning two Super Bowls. But while he was playing football, Sanders also played professional baseball.

David Justice was a teammate of Sanders with the Atlanta Braves between 1991-1994. At the same time, Sanders played football for the Atlanta Falcons.

In many cases, this would have been seen by the rest of the Braves as an unwanted distraction. Having a player like Deion Sanders on the team would have put undue attention on him and the squad, adding what could be seen as unnecessary pressure.

However, Justice disagreed, viewing Sanders was seen as a valuable member of the team, albeit a part-time one.

The baseball career of Deion Sanders

Deion Sanders began his professional baseball career in 1989, the same season in which he started in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons. He played for the New York Yankees and became the first player to score a touchdown and a home run in the same week.

Sanders' time with the Yankees did not last long as he was waived in 1990. But he returned to the diamond soon after, playing for the Atlanta Braves.

This made him incredibly popular and important in the Atlanta sports scene, playing for the city's two professional teams. Sanders had more success with the Braves than with the Falcons.

While the Falcons struggled to make the playoffs in every year bar one that Sanders played for them, the Braves made the 1992 World Series, which Sanders played in. Unfortunately, the Braves lost to the Toronto Blue Jays, but his appearance made him the first (and so far only) athlete to play in both a World Series and a Super Bowl (something that Sanders did twice in his career).

After being traded to Cincinnati, and then San Francisco, which directly followed Sanders being part of the Super Bowl-winning 49ers, Sanders didn't play baseball in 1996.

However, he returned for another stint with the Cincinnati Reds in 1997. But this didn't last long, and issues relating to his contract ended his career. The contract stated that Sanders could miss the NFL training camp if he was playing in the MLB. As he was playing in the minors, this was a violation.

In the end, he was pressured to pick either baseball or football, and football won out.