Shannon Sharpe Weighs In on Asante Samuel vs. Deion Sanders Debate [Video]

The ongoing beef between Deion Sanders and Asante Samuel started with a debate between the two All-Pro cornerbacks over which technique is better for the modern-day cornerback. Now known as Coach Prime, the eight-time Pro Bowler is often referred to by former players and fans as the greatest cornerback to ever play the game.

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In his legendary 1994 season, Sanders broke a record that still stands today—303 interception return yards, along with six interceptions, three of which resulted in touchdowns. That resume speaks for itself. Meanwhile, Asante Samuel was also an incredible player—a two-time Super Bowl champion who snagged 51 career interceptions, led the league in picks in 2006 and 2009, and earned four Pro Bowl selections along the way.

Samuel recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to make his case for why he was the better cornerback. That’s when Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe stepped in to set the record straight.

“You can put all these stats up, bro, you’re not [Prime] Time,” Sharpe said on Nightcap. “I get it—your technique. You say the T-step works for you. You felt the T-step gave you that bigger burst. No problem. Clearly, it worked.
You are a Pro Bowler. You won Super Bowls. You got 50-plus interceptions.
You’re just not Time—and it’s okay.”

Samuel was arguably one of the best cornerbacks of his era, but being the greatest of all time is a different conversation. It’s levels to this. As confident as Samuel is in his abilities, when you watch the tape—it’s clear. He’s not Prime.