Deion Sanders Suggests Idea For Pro Football Hall of Fame: Tiered System?

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders pitched the idea a few years ago about an "upper level" to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This week, four new members were inducted into the Hall of Fame; Sterling Sharpe, Antonio Gates, Jared Allen, and Eric Allen.

Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011. Earlier this week, the Pro Football Hall of Fame welcomed their 2025 class; Sterling Sharpe, Antonio Gates, Jared Allen, and Eric Allen. These four make up the smallest class since 2004. 

Sanders proposed an idea a few years ago that with the amount of players in the Hall of Fame, there should be tiers to it. 

Deion Sanders’s Hall of Fame Proposal 

Antonio Gates speaks during his speech at the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. August 2, 2025. | Kevin Whitlock / Massillon Independent / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After the induction of the 2025 class, there are 382 total members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. With this number only going up, is it time for the “upper level” of the Hall of Fame?

This idea proposed by Sanders would put a certain amount of these players on a different level than the others. Pro Football Talk mocked up their own list in 2023 of what this potential “upper level” could look like. They updated it following the inductions of Sharpe, Gates, Jared Allen, and Eric Allen. 

They put Sanders in this upper level of cornerbacks along with Mel Blount, Willie Brown, Darrell Green, Dick “Night Train” Lane, Darrelle Revis, and Rod Woodson. 

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Deion Sanders’s Hall of Fame Career

Deion Sanders is a two-time Super Bowl champion, was named the AP's NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1994) and was a six-time First Team All-Pro. Xxx 49ers Cowboys S Fbn Ca | Robert Hanshiro, USA TODAY, USA TODAY via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Prior to his coaching day with the Colorado Buffaloes, Deion Sanders was one of the greatest defensive football players in the history of the sport. Back when Coach Prime was just Prime Time, he made six NFL All-Pro teams, eight Pro Bowls, and won two Super Bowls. 

In his 14-year career as a professional with the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, and Baltimore Ravens, Sanders totaled 512 tackles, 53 interceptions, 10 defensive touchdowns, and 10 forced fumbles.

Prime Time Turns Into Coach Prime

Nov 11, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders runs on to the field before the first half against the Arizona Wildcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

After his playing career, Sanders spent time as an NFL analyst, then got into coaching. He coached his sons’ Shilo Sanders, Shedeur Sanders, and Deion Sanders Jr. at Trinity Christian High School in 2017. From there, Deion took it to the next level. He was hired in 2020 by the Jackson State Tigers, a Division 1 team in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). 

Sanders thrived at Jackson State. In his time as coach from 2020 through 2022, he had a record of 27-6. Following the 2022 season, he was offered the coaching job with the Colorado Buffaloes. 

Colorado was coming off a 1-11 2022 season when Coach Prime got there. In year one in 2023, they adding three wins to that and finished 4-8. 2024 was an even bigger step in the right direction. The Buffaloes went 9-3 in the regular season, earning an Alamo Bowl berth.

Furthermore, Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter won the 2024 Heisman trophy and quarterback Shedeur Sanders was named the 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. Both of them were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft; Hunter No. 2 overall and Sanders in the fifth round.