Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, the primary proponent of the creation of an “upper room” on the Pro Football Hall of Fame, turns 56 at present.

Although we’re not within the behavior of sending random birthday needs to former gamers, I’m making an exception for one cause. I noticed on Twitter (or no matter it now’s) a clip of Deion returning a punt 68 yards for a touchdown in his first NFL game.

It is superb. It electrical. It is quintessential Prime Time.

He catches the ball. He drops it. He scoops it up simply as he’s hit by a member of the Rams’ protection crew.

Deion is then swarmed by a number of Rams gamers. Somehow, he avoids being tackled. Somehow, he breaks away. He makes a reduce that places a would-be tackler on his floor.

And then Deion is gone, capping the ultimate 30 yards by excessive stepping and taunting Buford McGee for the rating.

Said Deion after the sport: “I felt like a deer with a hundred hunters around.”

The P.S. is that the Rams beat the Falcons, 31-21. Said Rams defensive finish Shawn Miller after the sport, “Deion hasn’t done nothing. He returned a punt. The final thing’s up on the scoreboard. He can jump up and down all he wants.”

Still, it was a transparent signal of issues to return.

Deion’s efficiency got here solely days after he ended a prolonged holdout and signed his first NFL contract. He would go on to extra contracts, and extra nice performances.

And should you’ve bought 10 minutes or so to kill, do your self a favor and watch his top 50 plays.