Asante Samuel calls out Shannon Sharpe amid ongoing feud with Deion Sanders - “You are brainwashed”

An ongoing feud between Asante Samuel and Deion Sanders has highlighted the difference between two generations of cornerbacks. Samuel and Sanders were both superstars in their years in the league, but the pair have been arguing on X.

As Deion Sanders criticized the "T-Step" technique used by defensive backs, Asante Samuel took to X to reply to the "foolishness" of the current Colorado head coach.

The back-and-forth involved many tweets, fans and Shannon Sharpe, who sided with Deion on his show, stating that "Nobody will ever say Asante & Deion Sanders in the same breath". Offended by Sharpe's remarks, on Tuesday, Asante responded on X with a video, calling the former tight end "brainwashed."

“You are brainwashed. A lot of folks are. And I'm just here to defend myself because I knew I was like that. I ended games. Let's make sure we add the playoffs in this too. He didn't have playoff touchdowns, and I got four of them. And of course, Shannon Sharpe you're going to side with your boy, Deion Sanders, just out of mutual respect. And we know Deion would get mad at you if you didn't show him that respect.

The "T-Step" technique was also defended by many former cornerbacks on X. Antonio Cromartie, a four-time Pro Bowler who played in the league from 2006 to 2016, joined the discussion. Cromartie praised the technique and stated that the "bicycle step" isn't for every player:

Who's Asante Samuel? Former cornerback beefs with Deion Sanders over techniques on X

He was one of the defensive superstars for the New England Patriots as the team won back-to-back Super Bowls in 2003 and 2004. The former fourth-round pick established himself on Bill Belichick's team, making the Pro Bowl four consecutive years from 2007 to 2010.

He also had stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons before retiring, in a career that included leading the league in interceptions for two seasons (2006, 2009).

His son, Asante Samuel Jr., was a second-round pick by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2021 NFL draft. Following an excellent rookie year, his production declined, and he played in just four games in 2024. He's currently a free agent.