Deion Sanders to grace Sports Illustrated cover for sixth time, but first as football coach
Deion Sanders is going Prime again as is set to appear on the next cover of Sports Illustrated, along with five-star cornerback Travis Hunter and his son and quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
A video of Sanders showing the cover to the players in his office was uploaded to YouTube and he posted photos from the photo shoot to his Instagram account.
“You guys in college, man, got a darn cover,” Sanders said in the video. “Something I never did, even with all the history I showed you. That is a blessing.
MENTOR: 'This man is a darn coaching legend': Deion Sanders reflects on passing of mentor Ron Hoover
Commentary: Deion Sanders doesn't need the Power Five to change college football. He already is
Travis Hunter: How Travis Hunter responded to Nick Saban's accusation of $1M NIL to play for Deion Sanders
During the photo shoot, the trio was dressed in suits from Michael Strahan's brand for the photo shoot.
"Thank you Michael Strahan for getting us right. We drippy today," Shedeur Sanders said.
Strahan gave JSU a shoutout during Good Morning America's Thursday morning broadcast.
"That's the first look at Coach Prime aka Deion Sanders' cover of Sports Illustrated," Strahan said. "It is the first time a Sports Illustrated cover is featuring Jackson State University on the cover. They're highlighting Sanders' mission to elevate HBCU athletics ... looking good there, Prime."
Strahan co-founded SMAC entertainment which represents Sanders.
"I can't tell him nothing now, boy," Strahan joked. "His head was already big enough, now I gotta deal with this."
The Fort Myers native and North Fort Myers High graduate was featured on five Sports Illustrated covers during his college and professional playing career. This will be his first time on the cover as a college football coach.
His previous appearances were:
Nov. 13, 1989
April 27, 1992
Aug. 24, 1992
Oct. 9, 1995
May 26, 1997
It will also be the first time in a long time since an HBCU player or coach has been selected for a Sports Illustrated cover page. Alcorn's Steve McNair famously posed for an S.I. cover during his senior season in 1994.
The cover story has already been released online and will appear on June 16. A picture of the cover appeared on a billboard in Times Square in New York City.
I know y’all are sick of my alma mater. 😂 Jackson State this. Jackson State that. #TheeiLove pic.twitter.com/HphcdLw8ih
— Aaron (@AaronJiii) June 9, 2022
Sanders, who is entering his third season as Jackson State coach, went 11-2 last season and led the Tigers to the Celebration Bowl where the Tigers fell to South Carolina State. Although he missed several games due to foot surgery that led to a pair of toes being amputated, Sanders was named SWAC and FCS Coach of the Year.
His son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, threw for 3,231 yards and 30 touchdowns en route to being named FCS Freshman of the Year.
Travis Hunter, a five-star cornerback from Collins Hill High School in Suwanee Georgia, is the No. 1 college football prospect in the country for the Class of 2022 according to the 247Sports composite.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Deion Sanders, Jackson State football on SI cover for June 16, 2022
