"Uncle Tom to the rescue": Asante Samuel hits back at Ryan Clark for defending Deion Sanders' legacy

At the Big 12 Pro Day, Deion Sanders called the T-step technique “foolish.’ Former NFL cornerback Asante Samuel, however, disagreed, which turned the whole thing into a larger online conversation. Samuel defended the traditional technique, wherein a defender steps in a T-shape while moving backward as the receiver changes direction, and questioned Sanders’ views.

The debate gradually shifted from a technical discussion to a comparison of their careers and who was the better cornerback.

Ryan Clark, a former NFL player and host of “The Pivot Podcast,” joined the conversation in defense of Sanders on Friday. While Clark said he respects Samuel’s talents, calling him one of the cornerbacks of his time, he also made it known that Sanders was on another level.

“Deion Sanders is the best cornerback that’s ever played. …. You’re talking about two lions having a conversation, but one of them is Mufasa, the other one’s Scar. There’s a reason that they have the Hall of Fame; there is no Hall of very good.

"You can have the conversation between Asante and Deion Sanders when you are talking about technique. … But let’s not stat watch Asante. … You were good. … But we put the film on, you get cooked. … Deion Sanders shifted the power of the entire NFL.”

In turn, Samuel responded to Clark’s comments on X, writing:

“Uncle Tom to the rescue 😆😆😆.”

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Deion Sanders and Asante Samuel’s debate turned into a comparison of careers

What started as a disagreement over a defensive technique has turned into a comparison of their legacies. After Samuel had responded to Sanders’ first comment about the technique, Sanders had said that Samuel was “forever taking a shot at the sky.”

Samuel did not take kindly to the response and posted a comparison of his stats alongside Sanders’ to make his point.

Soon, Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe also joined in, saying the following on "Nightcap":

“Asante, I love you bro. I love you. I think you're phenomenal. But you're not in Time's realm. That's not even close. … Nobody will ever say Asante Samuel and Deion Sanders in the same breath."

Samuel wasn’t very happy with that either, as he said on "Say What Needs To Be Said":

“Y'all want me to believe...he was the greatest cornerback that ever lived and nobody can ever be better than him? Man, get the fu** out of here. .... This ain't about respect. This ain't about big names. I'm simply comparing best seasons.”

Samuel has earned four Pro Bowl selections and one All-Pro honor, while Sanders had eight Pro Bowls and six All-Pro selections. Both players won two Super Bowls, but Coach Prime did it without Tom Brady on his team, unlike Samuel, who won his titles with the New England Patriots.