Deion Sanders Walks Out Of Interview After Reporter Continued To Call Him By First Name

BYErika Marie18.5K Views
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Deion Sanders
The NFL icon told the reporter not to call him "Deion," but the reporter ignored his request.

When it comes to resect, Deion Sanders is not playing around. The NFL legend boasts several successes throughout his career including multiple awards and honors, as well as Super Bowl and Pro Bowl wins, but Jackson State University's head coach is going viral and it isn't because of his accomplishments. An exchange at the SWAC Media Day in Birmingham was the epicenter of an awkward moment when Sanders checked a reporter for referring to him by his first name only.

A reporter for the Clarion-Ledger named Nick Suss was speaking to Sanders but the football icon didn't appreciate his first name being used. “You don’t call Nick Saban, ‘Nick,'” Sanders said of the University of Alabama’s coach. “Don’t call me Deion.”

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“If you call Nick, 'Nick,' you’ll get cussed out on the spot, so don’t do that to me. Treat me like Nick." Suss ignored Sanders and called him "Deion" once again, and that was when the JSU coach reportedly walked out of the interview. Later, Suss defended his actions and explained why he didn't heed Sanders's warning.

“When I interview people, I call them by their first name,” Suss revealed. “Whether it’s someone I’ve been working with for years or someone I’m talking to for the first time. This is true of the coaches and players on the Ole Miss beat, the coaches and players at Mississippi State and Southern Miss when I help out covering their teams and, as recently as January, even Sanders, too.”

Do you think Deion Sanders should have walked out?

[via]


About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.
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