Bo Jackson or Deon Sanders

[sealybobo]

i think he had one WS where he got 8 hits. Other than that? Mediocre. He could play WR, DB, KR, ST at top level with that speed. No one was faster in positions to tackle him?.

BO was good too in NFL but not as versitile.

i still vote: Deion Football, BO Baseball.

I’m assuming maybe after a couple few seasons he gave up on baseball and focused more on football? If that’s the case he showed us what he was capable of By hitting over 500 in a World Series.

He was flying back and forth playing baseball on Saturday and football on Sunday. Not practicing with the teams all week leading up to the games and still being the best athlete. He could steal bases like Ricky Henderson too.

 

[John Edgar Slow Horses]

Deon may have been the great athlete of the American 20th century.

 

[sealybobo]

Deon may have been the great athlete of the American 20th century.

I bet he was good at basketball too.

 

[sealybobo]

Deon may have been the great athlete of the American 20th century.

I knew it!
At North Fort Myers High School, Sanders played cornerback and quarterback. He was all-state in football, baseball and basketball. After scoring 30 points in a basketball game, a friend nicknamed him "Prime Time."

 

[Harry Dresden]

I have a theory that the bulky muscly guys just don't last. Look at Ohtani and Trout. Ohtani has way more demands on him than Trout but he stays healthy and Trout is always hurt.

ohtani has only played 6 seasons and the first 3 were not full seasons like he is doing now.....wait till he gets to 10......

 

[Rocko]

I’m not sure who’s better, but Deion played both offense and defense in football. That’s like playing two sports. And then he played baseball. So he really played 3 sports.

 

[sealybobo]

ohtani has only played 6 seasons and the first 3 were not full seasons like he is doing now.....wait till he gets to 10......

My brother was really talking this guy up yesterday. What a stud he is.

He reminded us of something when we played high school ball. All the guys we knew who were great pitchers were also the best hitters. So why when they get to college do they stop letting the pitchers hit? Or why do so many pitchers in the pros suck at hitting? I bet if you asked them how good they were in high school they'll tell you they were great. So why do they stop? Why protect pitchers like they are made of glass?

My bro was saying "if a good pitcher is worth $40 mill and a good hitter is worth $20 mill, isn't this guy worth $60 mill?

 

[Harry Dresden]

My brother was really talking this guy up yesterday. What a stud he is.

He reminded us of something when we played high school ball. All the guys we knew who were great pitchers were also the best hitters. So why when they get to college do they stop letting the pitchers hit? Or why do so many pitchers in the pros suck at hitting? I bet if you asked them how good they were in high school they'll tell you they were great. So why do they stop? Why protect pitchers like they are made of glass?

My bro was saying "if a good pitcher is worth $40 mill and a good hitter is worth $20 mill, isn't this guy worth $60 mill?

sooner or later he could have arm problems.....and then he will just be a hitter...

 

[sealybobo]

I’m not sure who’s better, Deion played both offense and defense in football. That’s like playing two sports. And then he played baseball. So he really played 3 sports.

Bo stiff arming Deion



I found this

Sanders and Jackson were both at the top of their respective games during their tenures in the NFL. Jackson was a star running back ahead of his time, while Sanders turned out to be one of the better cornerbacks and special teams contributors in NFL history.

Verdict

While both Jackson and Sanders were ridiculously talented individuals, only one can claim the crown as the best NFL athlete.

That honor goes to Jackson.

 

[sealybobo]

Here's what they said before deciding Bo was the better of the two.

Jackson seemingly defined the word "freak athlete" before it was officially coined. Taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1986 NFL draft, Jackson would go on to have a short, albeit stunning NFL career with the Los Angeles Raiders.

At 6'1" and 230 pounds, Jackson was a powerful back that could run between the tackles with ease. What makes him one of the greatest to play was his elite speed. Despite his heavy stature, Jackson had recorded a 40-yard dash time of 4.12 in the combine leading up the draft.

Jackson would play just four years in the NFL, where he recorded 2,782 yards and 16 touchdowns with an exceptional 5.4 yards per carry average. Being so versatile allowed Jackson to be a threat in the passing game as well, where he recorded 352 yards and two scores in the same time span.

Outside of the NFL, Jackson spent nine years in the MLB, where he recorded 598 hits and 141 home runs with a career .250 average. He also used his electric speed to steal 82 bases.

It's hard even in today's NFL to find a running back as talented and athletically gifted as Jackson was during his time with Oakland. He was ahead of his time at the position, and without a doubt one of the greatest NFL athletes in history.

Deion Sanders

"Primetime" was a multi-faceted threat on the NFL field who helped redefine not only defensive back play, but special teams contributions as well.

Sanders landed in the NFL as the No. 5 overall pick in the 1989 NFL draft with the Atlanta Falcons and immediately changed the league as we know it. He would spend 14 seasons in the NFL with a variety of different teams before hanging up the cleats.

In those 14 years, Sanders was a jaw-dropping performer, hence his nickname. As the NFL's best cornerback for most of his career, he would intercept 53 passes, which he would then almost always turn into a big return. He tallied 1,331 interception return yards and returned nine of them for touchdowns.

Sanders' production didn't end there. He would also see time at wide receiver, where he would record 784 yards and three touchdowns. As a return specialist, Sanders amassed 3,523 yards and three touchdowns on kick returns. He was an even better punt returner, gaining 2,199 yards and six touchdowns.

Like Jackson, Sanders would also spend time in the MLB. During his time there, Sanders notched a career .263 batting average with 558 hits and 39 home runs. His elite speed translated well to the majors, allowing him to steal 186 bases.

Standing at 6'1" and 200 pounds with an NFL combine 40-yard dash speed of 4.27, Sanders managed to redefine what versatility in the NFL meant.

And the dude picked Bo. Huh.

 

[Rocko]

Bo stiff arming Deion



I found this

Sanders and Jackson were both at the top of their respective games during their tenures in the NFL. Jackson was a star running back ahead of his time, while Sanders turned out to be one of the better cornerbacks and special teams contributors in NFL history.

Verdict

While both Jackson and Sanders were ridiculously talented individuals, only one can claim the crown as the best NFL athlete.

That honor goes to Jackson.

Dion was the best CB in the nfl. No one was a faster athlete in the league. Not saying you’re wrong, but I’m playing devils advocate.

 

[themirrorthief]

Deion won 2 superbowls one w the 49ers and one with the Cowboys. He also appeared in the World Series but didn't win. It's not even close who IS the best 2 sport pro athlete, clearly it is Sanders. Bo Jackson was a freakish athlete and had limitless potential. But potential and a dollar will get you a candy bar.

it wont get you a candy bar in this economy

 

[themirrorthief]

it wont get you a candy bar in this economy

I loved watching Bo get beat to a pulp by the 85 tennesse vols in knoxville....what a game

 

[leftwinger]

I remember hearing Deion was not noted for his tackling.

 

[Rocko]

I remember hearing Deion was not noted for his tackling.

Pretty much. Watching him play defense was boring because quarterbacks wouldn’t throw on his side of the field . But the guy sucked at tackling

 

[sealybobo]

Dion was the best CB in the nfl. No one was a faster athlete in the league. Not saying you’re wrong, but I’m playing devils advocate.

I haven’t completely made up my mind yet. Bo was a super athlete. Even Dieon acknowledged that.

Bo had a better batting average but Deion was clutch when it mattered the most in the World Series. Is Deion a hall of fame football player? Even if he is, if Bo stayed healthy and performed like we think he would have, he would have been great too.

Originally I said set aside Bo got hurt early. So we just have to go with his stats vs Deion and the slight edge might go to Bo.

But whose career would I want? Sanders. prime time baby

 

[sealybobo]

I remember hearing Deion was not noted for his tackling.

Yea me too. He didn’t want to get hurt.

I found this.

Was Bo or Deion better at baseball?


Bo was better baseball player, but deion was a dominant football player and changed the game and coverages. Jackson was the better all around sports. Dion better football.Nov 18, 2021

 

[MarathonMike]

People forget what a great arm Bo had from the outfield. Here's some of the greatest throws of all time, all by Bo.

 

[sealybobo]

People forget what a great arm Bo had from the outfield. Here's some of the greatest throws of all time, all by Bo.

In the show I watched about Dieon, which is what prompted me to start this thread, they were talking about how he performed in the World Series. He was the MVP of the losing team. Batted over 500 stole something like 6 bases and they said, he played a little defense. A guy on the other team got a hit, a guy was on base, rounded 3rd and was going for home and Dieon threw him out at home. Pretty cool.

He did it all. In the World Series.

Man I wish Bo would have stayed healthy longer.

He is the only professional athlete in history to be named an All-Star in two major North American sports.

Jackson won the Heisman Trophy in 1985. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Los Angeles Raiders and in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, and California Angels. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996.

A 1991 hip injury on the field ended his football career, and his baseball career ended in 1994.

Notable achievements[edit]​

• AL All-Star (1989)
• 1989 All-Star Game MVP
• 1993 AL Comeback Player of the Year Award
• 10th in the 1989 AL MVP race
• 30-Home Run Seasons: 1 (1989)
• 20-Home Run Seasons: 4 (1987–1990)
• 20-Stolen Base Seasons: 2 (1988–1989)
• 100 RBI Seasons: 1 (1989)

Looks like Bo was better at baseball. Focused more on it. Football was a side thing for him. Deion was the better football player. That's my final answer.

 

[sealybobo]

Bo Jackson was the better athlete, and when Joe Pesci rode Bo in the '92 Kentucky Derby Joe almost came in 1st, if Bo hadn't picked up a stone.

I'm watching a 30 for 30 on Elway. I guess he was drafted by the Yankees and he was good. Compared him to Johnny Unitas or Mickey Mantle.

So besides Deion and Bo, I know Kirk Gibson and Elway were really good at another sport. Who else?

I think if Jordan only played baseball, he would have been a great baseball player.