“We can't afford to mess up” - $45M worth Deion Sanders once had moving advice for 4x Emmy winner Nathaniel Eugene

Nathaniel Eugene Burleson, a four-time Emmy Award-winning studio analyst is currently co-hosting "CBS Mornings."

During a segment of the show this week, Eugene shared an inspiring story about how $45M worth Deion Sanders (per Celebrity Net Worth) motivated him to become a better media talent, recounting how the former NFL star scolded him for missing a flight and the importance of accountability.

“I'm starting at the NFL Network as a media talent after my career (2015),” Eugene said. “I'm in Jacksonville covering the Jags. I wake up the next morning, I miss my flight back to LA.”

According to Eugene, Sanders' blunt admonition served as a wake-up call for him.

“About a week later… We're in the green room where all the players and coaches congregate before we go on the show,” he said. “We're sitting in there. Deion says, ‘close the door’... I'm thinking it's story time. Deion's going to tell us about the 90s...”

Eugene added:

“He looks at me, he says, ‘Nate, I heard you missed your flight’. I said, ‘yeah, man, I woke up a little late. It was a long day of work’. He said, ‘I don't want to hear those excuses.'

“You got talent. You can't do that. Because if I heard about it, our bosses heard about it, We can't afford to mess up. We can't afford (pointing to his skin). And that stuck with me.”

Eugene further said that he connects Sanders' words to a broader life lesson,”I never missed a flight again.”

It is evident that, Eugene has won four Emmy Awards for his exceptional coverage of sports events. He has been honored with two Sports Emmy Awards for Outstanding Sports Personality/Studio Analyst and the Outstanding Playoff Coverage Emmy Award for the NFL Wild Card Game on Nickelodeon in 2021.

In September 2021, Nathaniel Eugene joined "CBS Mornings" as a co-host alongside Gayle King and Tony Dokoupil.

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Who is former wide receiver Nathaniel Eugene?

Nathaniel Eugene spent five years as a host on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" before joining CBS News.

Eugene boasts an 11-year career as a wide receiver with the Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, and Detroit Lions. Interestingly, he is the only player in NFL history to have three punt returns of 90 or more yards.

Moreover, Nathaniel Eugene played college football at Nevada Wolf Pack and earned a First-team All-American honors in 2002.