WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Deion Sanders and Troy Aikman, not
exactly pals when they wore the silver and blue of the Dallas
Cowboys, could be reunited in 2006 wearing the yellow jackets of
Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees.
"It would look good, two Cowboys, that's the way I look at
it," said safety Darren Woodson. "Whatever differences they might
have had, they were two great players."
Players become Hall of Fame candidates after five seasons away
from the NFL. With Sanders retiring Friday and Aikman calling it a
career in April, the countdown has begun.
Michael Irvin, a close friend to both Sanders and Aikman, also
could be on the same ballot. He'll be eligible starting in 2005,
but because he'll be a controversial nominee there's the chance
he'll still be waiting when his former teammates come under
consideration.
Cowboys coach Dave Campo said Sanders' retirement is "a sad day
for the NFL." Campo was the defensive coordinator the five seasons
Sanders was in Dallas and he calls Prime Time the best player he
ever coached.
"People can say what they want about the flash and dash and all
that stuff, but he was a pretty darn good football player," Campo
said. "I think the NFL loses a little bit of style without him."
Sanders came to Dallas in 1995 after helping San Francisco
dethrone the Cowboys as Super Bowl champions. He won his second
straight title that year while helping the team win its third
championship in four years.
The Cowboys won only one more playoff game over his next four
seasons, but Sanders maintained his reputation as one of the
greatest coverage cornerbacks in league history and as one of the
most exciting players. He dabbled in offense and was always a
threat to score on punt returns.
"I enjoyed playing with him," running back Emmitt Smith said.
"He made it fun. He was a great person to be around."
Dallas cut Sanders before last season, mainly for salary-cap
reasons, and he wound up with division rival Washington. He was
required in camp Sunday, but instead made an uncharacteristically
low-key announcement that he was retiring.
"I hate to see him go," Dallas safety George Teague said. "I
think he had some more time left. But it's his decision. I hope
everything works out for him."
Said Woodson: "I was a little surprised, but he always said he
wanted to go out on his own terms. He can definitely still play.
But he's the type of guy who wanted to play at his best at all
times. If he thought he wasn't ready this year, then it was time to
hang 'em up."
Teague and Woodson, the only members of the secondary remaining
from Sanders' days in Dallas, knew the left side of the field was
protected when Sanders was in the lineup.
"I can't really think of too many other corners who were better
than he was, and the way he provided help on special teams made him
an all-around great player," Teague said.
"When I came here in '96, I already admired him. But after
seeing the way he worked, the way he studied, that made my respect
for him even stronger."
Woodson, whose locker was next to the two Sanders occupied at
Valley Ranch, said Sanders "changed the game at the corner spot,
brought a lot of excitement to the game and sold a lot of
tickets."
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