A maxi single or maxi-single (sometimes abbreviated to MCD) is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an a-side song and a b-side song.

The first maxi singles

The term came into wide use in the 1970s, where it usually referred to 7-inch vinyl singles featuring one track on the A side and two on the B side. The 1975 reissue of David Bowie's ''Space Oddity'', where the featured song is coupled with ''Changes'' and ''Velvet Goldmine'', is a typical example. Since the mid 1970s, it was used to refer to 12" vinyl singles with 3 or 4 tracks or an extended or remixed version A-Side and 2 or 3 tracks B-Side initially for DJ's. Later, in the 1980s, a typical practice was to release a 2-song single on 7" vinyl and cassette, and a maxi-single on 12" vinyl.

These first 12" maxi-singles were promotional and mostly sent to discotheques and radio stations. Examples of such promos—released at almost same time in 1975—are Gary Toms Empire – "Drive My Car", Don Downing – "Dream World", Barrabas – "Mellow Blow", The Tramps – "Hooked For Life", Ace Spectrum – "Keep Holdin' On", South Shore Commission – "Train Called Freedom", The Chequers – "Undecided Love", Ernie Rush – "Breakaway", Ralph Carter – "When You're Young and in Love", Michael Zager & The Moon Band Feat. Peabo Bryson – "Do it With Feeling", Monday After – "Merry-Go-Round", The Ritchie Family – "I Want To Dance" and Frankie Valli – "Swearin' to God".

Salsoul Records made 12" maxi-singles commercially available for the first time on May 1976 with the release of "Ten Percent" by Double Exposure (SALSOUL 12D-2008). An earlier 12" catalog number from this label is "More" by Carol Williams (SALSOUL 12D-2006), but it was released later.

The early CD era

When CDs began to appear as a single format in the late 1980s (see CD single), songs were often released in two CD formats simultaneously, as a logical application of the vinyl record format to CD. There would be a regular single on a 3" CD with two tracks, similar to a 7" record. There would also be a full-size 5" CD, often with 3 or 4 tracks, which was considered the maxi-single despite often containing only marginally more music than its smaller counterpart.

Example: Erasure – ''Sometimes'' (European 5" CD maxi-single) Released by Mute in 1988 in Europe. Includes 3 different songs. Packaged in a slim jewel case with insert. Labelled "Maxi-Single-CD" on front cover.

Cassette maxi singles

Occasionally, a cassette single would also be released in two cassette formats simultaneously: a traditional Cassingle [CS] with two tracks and a Cassette maxi-single [CMS] with four or more tracks, generally remixes. This practice was experimented with in the late 1980s but was uncommon even then.

Example: Debbie Gibson – ''Out Of The Blue'' (cassette maxi-single) Released by Atlantic in 1987 in the USA. Includes 4 mixes: 1. Club Mix, 2. Bonus Beats, 3. Drumapella, 4. Dub Version. This was Packaged in a 12" x 3" cassette maxi single longbox (with a regular cardboard slipcase/cassette inside), although most later maxi singles were just issued in regular style cassette cases.

1990s CD maxi singles

Shortly after the onset of the 1990s, CD had clearly become the music format of choice. As the 1990s progressed, nearly every single release was available on CD, and vinyl and cassette single releases gradually became less common.

The UK became a thriving market for CD singles, but in 1998 the UK Chart Supervisory Committee reduced the maximum playing time of chart-eligible CD singles from 40 to 20 minutes, though 12" vinyl singles could still play for up to 40 minutes. While Maxi-CDs had been much loved among the dance community, as most if not all of the remixes that had been commissioned by the label could be released commercially, lobbying by artists in other genres who felt obliged to record extra and cover tracks to provide enough material for their single releases was to blame for the rule change. As a result, UK singles from around mid-1998 often appeared as 3 separately-sold CDs with 3 tracks each, or more commonly, 2 CDs and an extra format (such as 7", 12" or DVD single). Very often, at least 1 track was common to all formats. Single releases in the US and elsewhere still included many tracks (primarily remixes) and called themselves maxi-singles to differentiate from the 3-track UK versions.

Example: Saint Etienne – ''Who Do You Think You Are?'' (US CD single) Released by Warner Music in 1993 in the USA. Includes 8 different tracks, 6 of which are versions of the title song. Digipak packaging. Labeled "compact disc maxi-single" on the front cover.

Another extensive example is the collection of singles released for the award-winning ''Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness'' by The Smashing Pumpkins. Each of the five singles ("Bullet with Butterfly Wings", "1979", "Zero", "Tonight, Tonight", "Thirty-Three") had two or more additional songs; most of them had six or seven. All of the maxi singles were released together, with additional tracks on some, as the Aeroplane Flies High boxed set, for a total of thirty-three tracks across the five singles. Adding that to the total number of other unique tracks on the main CD and vinyl releases of the album itself brings the grand total track count of Mellon Collie to fifty-eight.

Digital maxi singles

A digital maxi single is a series of digital downloads mostly containing remixes. Unlike a normal maxi single, tracks can be bought and sold based on preference. In terms of chart usage, even if a single had a maxi single and a digital maxi single released with exactly the same content, they would still be counted differently. For instance, the maxi single would be counted as two points, while the digital maxi single (if all songs were downloaded and if the single were to contain the standard five tracks) would be counted as ten points.

The maxi single today

With music stores in the US devoting significantly less shelf space to singles, the format's future in the US remains in doubt. In the UK, having watched sales of CDs drop since the previous rule change, and amid allegations that the consumer no longer felt that UK-issued singles were good value for money, the Chart Supervisory Committee once again changed the rules governing the formats of singles released in the UK. From early 2003, a format described as a "Maxi-CD" was reintroduced, alongside a new 2-track CD single with a lower retail price. The current UK rules allow for up to 40 minutes of audio tracks on a Maxi-CD, as long as all tracks are remixes of the title track. In practice, however, many UK Maxi-CDs still contain only 3 mixes and come nowhere near the maximum allowable playing time. However, releases on dance labels (such as EMI's Positiva) are nearly always Maxi-CDs in the true sense, with more than 3 mixes. Lady Gaga and Madonna are the rare examples of popular artists who still release maxi-singles for each single release.

Example: Erasure – ''Breathe'' (US CD single) Released by Mute in 2005 in the USA. Includes 8 different tracks, 6 of which are versions of the title song, plus a CD-ROM section with the video of the title song. Standard jewel case packaging.

The Japanese music industry relies heavily on single sales (these are released before the album containing the single songs) with an artist releasing between 2 and 5 singles before the album release. It's not uncommon to have Maxi Singles since they drive sales faster. Also, CD+DVD bundles are quite popular.

Example: Gorillaz – ''Feel Good Inc.'' Released by EMI/Virgin in May 2005 in Japan. Includes 5 tracks, an A-Side, a B-Side, an arrangement of a song from the previous album, a remix of the title track and both main tracks instrumental versions. The DVDs contain the promotional videos for the songs, as well as making-of clips of them.

References

http://www.djsportal.com/disco-single-story-p-171.html?cPath=2 12'' DISCO SINGLE – story in pix]

Category:Single types

es:Maxi sencillo fr:Maxi 45 tours pt:Maxi single sv:Maxisingel

Coordinates	39°44′21″N104°59′5″N
Name	Mark Sanchez
Width	250
Currentteam	New York Jets
Currentnumber	6
Currentpositionplain	Quarterback
Birth date	November 11, 1986
Birth place	Long Beach, California
Heightft	6
Heightin	2
Weight	225
Debutyear	2009
Debutteam	New York Jets
Highschool	Mission Viejo
College	Southern California
Draftyear	2009
Draftround	1
Draftpick	5
Pastteams	New York Jets (–present)
Status	Active
Highlights	Tied for most postseason road victories by an NFL quarterback (4) ''Sporting News''' All-Rookie Team selection 3× Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week Winner Other accomplishments
Statweek	17
Statseason	2010
Statlabel1	Pass attempts
Statvalue1	871
Statlabel2	Pass completions
Statvalue2	474
Statlabel3	Percentage
Statvalue3	54.4
Statlabel4	TD–INT
Statvalue4	29–33
Statlabel5	Passing Yards
Statvalue5	5,735
Statlabel6	Passer rating
Statvalue6	70.2
Nfl	SAN091667 }}

Mark Travis John Sanchez (born November 11, 1986) is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the fifth overall selection by the Jets and the second quarterback overall. He played college football at the University of Southern California (USC).

Sanchez grew up in a well-disciplined and athletic family. In the eighth grade, he began to play football and began to learn the intricacies of the quarterback position, training with his father, Nick. A well-regarded prospect, Sanchez committed to Southern California following his successful high school career in which he led his team to a championship title during his final season. At USC, Sanchez was relegated as the backup quarterback during his first three years though he rose to prominence due to his brief appearances on the field in 2007 due to injuries suffered by starting quarterback John David Booty. Sanchez also became popular within the community due to his Mexican-American heritage. Named the starter in 2008, Sanchez led USC to a 12–1 record and won the Rose Bowl against Penn State for which Sanchez was awarded the Most Valuable Player award for his performance on offense.

Although many considered him too inexperienced, Sanchez announced his intention to enter the NFL Draft. He was selected by the Jets and named the starting quarterback prior to the start of the season. Despite a subpar performance, Sanchez led the Jets to the AFC Championship Game, a losing effort to the Indianapolis Colts, becoming the fourth rookie quarterback in NFL history to win his first playoff game and the second to win two playoff games. In his second season, Sanchez continued to develop and led the Jets to the playoffs and the team's second consecutive AFC Championship Game where they narrowly lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 24–19.

With the win over the New England Patriots the week prior, Sanchez tied four other quarterbacks for the most post-season road victories by a quarterback in NFL history. In leading the Jets to two consecutive conference championships, Sanchez joined quarterback Ben Roethlisberger as the only two quarterbacks in NFL history to reach the conference championship in their first two seasons in the league.

Early life

Mark was born in Long Beach, California to Nick Sr. and Olga Sanchez. When Mark was four, his parents divorced; Mark and his brothers, Nick Jr. and Brandon, stayed with their father but their mother remained involved in their upbringing. Mark initially lived in Whittier and Pico Rivera; when he was six his father moved with the children to Rancho Santa Margarita, a predominantly white neighborhood of Orange County.

Mark's father remarried and raised them strictly, seeking to influence them to become leaders. Throughout his childhood and teenage years, Mark's father would have him combine athletic and mental training. Mark would have to dribble a basketball without looking at it while reciting multiplication tables; practice baseball swings in a batting cage while answering questions about the periodic table and similar combined drills that his father hoped would develop quick thinking and self-confidence that would guide Mark in all areas of life and not simply sports.

By the time Mark entered the eighth grade, he had developed an interest in football but was unsure of what position to play. His father consulted coaches Bill Cunerty, who formerly coached at Saddleback College, and Bob Johnson, the head coach at Mission Viejo High School. Both coaches stated Mark could be a quarterback if he applied himself and was open to learning the intricacies of the position. Nick Sr. trained Mark during sessions in their backyard or at the park. Mark, who was attending Santa Margarita High School, joined the football team. During his first pass attempt as a sophomore, Mark threw a 55-yard touchdown.

Prior to his junior year of high school, Mark transferred to Mission Viejo, where Johnson, who was recognized as a "quarterback guru" having trained professionals like Carson Palmer, was head coach. Under Johnson's tutelage, Mark felt he would have a better opportunity to become a better player. Johnson tutored Mark on the complexities of the position and in two seasons with the team, Mark led the Diablos to a 27–1 record culminating with the California Interscholastic Federation Division II championship in 2004.

Mark was named football player of the year by several major college recruiting services and was considered the top quarterback in the nation upon the conclusion of his high school football career in 2005. In July 2004, Mark announced his commitment to the University of Southern California.

College career

Being named the nation's top quarterback coming out of high school, Sanchez was well regarded upon his arrival at USC. With upperclassmen Matt Leinart and John David Booty returning, Sanchez did not play during his freshman year in 2005, opting to preserve a year of eligibility. During this time, he participated as the quarterback of USC's scout team, earning the Trojans' Service Team Offensive Player of the Year Award.

In April 2006, Sanchez was arrested after a female USC student accused him of sexual assault. He was released from jail the following day and suspended. On June 3, 2006, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office announced no charges would be filed, and Sanchez was reinstated, though he was disciplined by the football team for underage drinking and using false identification on the night he was arrested.

At the outset of the 2006 season, Sanchez competed for the starting quarterback position; once Booty, a junior, suffered severe back spasms caused by a pre-existing back condition, surgery was required and Sanchez was promoted to run the first-team offense during the spring as Booty recovered. Coaches stated Booty would be considered the starting quarterback when he returned for fall practice. During the 2006 season, Sanchez saw limited playing time in games against Arkansas, Stanford and Oregon. Through those three games, Sanchez completed 3 of his 7 pass attempts for 63 yards and 1 interception. He also saw additional action against Arizona, Michigan, and Notre Dame but he did not attempt a pass in those contests.

In fall practice, before USC's 2007 season, Sanchez broke his right thumb, missing the first game against Idaho; he returned the following week and served as the primary backup to Booty. Sanchez earned limited playing time in wins against Nebraska and Washington State. Sanchez was named the starting quarterback by head coach Pete Carroll against Arizona after Booty suffered a broken finger during a 24–23 loss to Stanford.

On October 13, Sanchez led USC to a 20–13 victory, overcoming a wavering performance during the first half of the game in which he threw two interceptions, as Arizona went on to tie the game going into halftime. During the second half, Sanchez was more proficient passing the ball and ultimately finished the game completing 19 of his 31 passes while throwing for 130 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. With Booty still recovering, USC elected to start Sanchez for a second consecutive week against Notre Dame; he made significant improvements, completing 21 of his 38 passes for 235 yards and four touchdowns in a 38–0 victory over Notre Dame.

On October 27, Sanchez started for the final time in place of the injured Booty, in an away game against Oregon. USC lost, 24–17; Sanchez having two passes intercepted by Oregon safety Matthew Harper in the second half. The first interception led to a fourth-quarter touchdown that gave Oregon a 14-point lead; the second interception ended USC's final chance for a comeback. In spite of a myriad of mistakes committed by his team mates in addition to his own, Sanchez publicly accepted blame for the loss. The following week, against Oregon State, Booty returned as USC's starting quarterback, with Sanchez resuming his position as Booty's backup. Sanchez did not perform in subsequent games and finished the season with 695 yards and seven touchdowns with five interceptions.

Sanchez entered spring practice after the 2008 season as the front-runner to take over the starting quarterback position, but faced strong competition from redshirt freshman Aaron Corp and Mitch Mustain, a transfer from Arkansas, where he had been the starting quarterback; Mustain, like Sanchez, was named the top quarterback in the nation upon the conclusion of high school career in 2006. By the end of spring practice, Carroll announced Sanchez would be the starting quarterback heading into the fall. During the first week of fall camp, Sanchez dislocated his left kneecap during warm-ups prior to practice; trainers immediately put the kneecap back into place. After missing nearly three weeks, Sanchez was cleared to play in the opener against Virginia. Before the opener, Sanchez was contacted by USC's previous three quarterbacks—Carson Palmer, Leinart and Booty—who wished him well and offered general advice.

In the opener at Virginia, Sanchez threw for a career-best 338 yards, completing 26 of his 35 passes for three touchdowns and one interception. The Davey O'Brien Foundation named him the O'Brien Quarterback of the Week and his performance garnered early Heisman discussion. The Trojans suffered a stunning 27–21 loss against Oregon State on September 25. By seasons end, the Trojans' lone loss was enough to remove them from contending for the BCS National Title and instead they were to play in the Rose Bowl against Penn State. The Trojans defeated the Nittany Lions 38–24. Sanchez won the 2009 Rose Bowl Most Valuable Player award for his performance on offense; his 413 passing yards ranked second in the history of the Rose Bowl and fourth in Trojan history. With Sanchez starting all thirteen games, the Trojans ended the season 12–1 and ranked number two in the Coaches' Poll and number three in the AP Poll. Sanchez finished the season with 3,207 yards passing, 34 touchdowns, second most in Trojan history, behind Leinart, and 10 interceptions.

Upon the conclusion of the Rose Bowl, Sanchez stated it would be "hard to say goodbye to [USC]. I don’t think I can do it." However, with the subsequent announcement that other NFL-caliber quarterbacks, such as Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy, had decided to stay in school, rumors arose that Sanchez would use the opportunity to enter the 2009 NFL Draft. On January 15, Sanchez announced his plans to forgo his final year of college eligibility and enter the 2009 NFL Draft, although he continued as a USC student and completed work on his degree in the spring of 2009 while preparing for the draft.

Sanchez became the first USC quarterback to leave early since Todd Marinovich did so after the 1990 season. During the press conference, head coach Pete Carroll made it clear that he did not agree with Sanchez's decision, and advised him of the low success-rate of quarterbacks who left college early. Despite the public disagreement, the two remained close afterward.

Professional career

2009 NFL Draft

Following the press conference, Sanchez hired his older brother and business litigator, Nick Sanchez, to be his agent alongside David Dunn, who represented Carson Palmer. Sanchez received an invitation to the 2009 Scouting Combine where his performance was well-received. He was ranked as one of the top two quarterbacks, behind fellow junior quarterback Matthew Stafford from the University of Georgia. In the final days leading up to the draft, several NFL teams expressed serious interest in Sanchez, including the Seattle Seahawks (No. 4 selection), Cleveland Browns (No. 5 selection), Washington Redskins (No. 13 selection), and New York Jets (No. 17 selection).

{{nfl predraft | height ft = 6 | height in = 2 | weight = 227 | dash = 4.88 | ten split = N/A | twenty split = N/A | shuttle = 4.21 | cone drill = 7.06 | vertical = 32.5 | broad ft = 9 | broad in = 8 | bench = DNA | wonderlic = 28 | note = Did not attempt bench. Ten and twenty splits are not available. }}

New York Jets

The New York Jets drafted Sanchez using the fifth overall selection in the 2009 NFL Draft, making him the first quarterback selected by the franchise in the first round since Chad Pennington. To select Sanchez, the Jets traded their first and second round selections and three players, Kenyon Coleman, Abram Elam and Brett Ratliff, to the Cleveland Browns. At the time, the selection was lauded as good value for the team and for Sanchez. Sanchez reached an agreement with the team on June 10, 2009, signing a five-year, $50 million contract, with $28 million guaranteed. It is the largest contract the Jets signed a player to in franchise history.

Heading into his rookie training camp, Sanchez was listed as the second quarterback behind veteran Kellen Clemens. Jets head coach Rex Ryan viewed the camp as an opportunity for both quarterbacks to compete against each other to determine the eventual starter for the 2009 season. On August 26, 2009, Sanchez was named the starter, becoming the first rookie quarterback to start the season for the franchise since Dick Jamieson in 1960.

Sanchez started his first regular season NFL game against the Houston Texans on September 13, 2009, throwing his first touchdown pass, a 30-yard reception, to Chansi Stuckey. Sanchez and the Jets won the game 24–7, with Sanchez throwing for 272 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. He was named the Pepsi Rookie of the Week for his performance in the game, the first of three consecutive Rookie of the Week awards. He played his first home game a week later versus the New England Patriots, a 16–9 victory; it was also his first division game and his first rivalry game. It was the Jets' first victory over New England at home since 2000. With a 24–17 victory over the Tennessee Titans in week 3, Sanchez became the first rookie quarterback to start and win his first three games of an NFL season. However, his performance began to regress as he had a pass intercepted for a 99-yard touchdown return, and fumbled another attempted pass in the end zone for another touchdown, as the Jets fell to the New Orleans Saints in week 4. These two plays were enough to spoil an otherwise strong outing from the Jets's defensive unit as the team dropped to a 3–1 record. Following the loss to New Orleans, Sanchez received criticism in a 16–13 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills in week 6 when he threw five interceptions against a lowly Bills defense that previously had only four interceptions the entire season. The Jets ended their losing streak in a 38–0 victory against the Oakland Raiders in week 7 however, Sanchez was criticized after he was seen eating a hot dog on the Jets's bench in the fourth quarter.

In the team's second meeting against the Bills on December 3, 2009, Sanchez suffered a sprained PCL in the third quarter, prompting the veteran Clemens to take his place. Though there were no setbacks to the injury, head coach Ryan benched Sanchez the following game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for precautionary reasons, much to Sanchez's dismay. At 7–7, the Jets had a chance to secure a playoff berth if they won the remainder of their games. One such game was against the Indianapolis Colts who had 23 consecutive regular season wins. Sanchez and the Jets engineered a comeback win following Colts head coach Jim Caldwell's decision to controversially rest the team starters in the third quarter with a five-point lead. The following week, on January 3, 2010, Sanchez led the team into the playoffs despite a subpar effort, completing eight of sixteen passes for sixty-three yards, en route to a 37–0 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, who rested their starters as the team had already clinched the AFC North division title and a playoff berth. The manner of the two wins, which gave the Jets their first playoff berth since 2006, caused many to claim the team had "backed into the playoffs". Sanchez completed his rookie season with 2,444 yards, 12 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.

In the wild card round, that took place on January 9, 2010 at Paul Brown Stadium, Sanchez led the Jets to another victory over the Bengals, 24–14, behind his positive performance where he completed 12 of his 15 passes while throwing for 182 yards and a touchdown with a passer rating of 139.4. Sanchez became the fourth rookie quarterback in NFL history to win his first post-season contest, and the second to do so on the road. On January 17, 2010, Sanchez, with the help of fellow rookie Shonn Greene, defeated the heavily favored San Diego Chargers 17–14 to attain the Jets's third AFC Championship appearance in franchise history. Sanchez became only the second rookie quarterback to win two consecutive playoff games, after Joe Flacco. In a rematch of their regular season meeting, Sanchez performed well in the first half however, the offense succumbed to the Colts defense in the second half and the Jets gave up an 11 point lead and lost 30–17, ending the Jets's Super Bowl aspirations. Sanchez was named to ''Sporting News''' All-Rookie team for his performance during the season.

On February 17, 2010, Sanchez had surgery to repair the patella ligament in his left knee that he originally injured when he played for USC. The surgery was successful. Sanchez was expected to miss early workouts and return in time for training camp however Sanchez made a quick recovery and participated in team drills during Organized Team Activities (OTA). The Jets opened the 2010 season with a 5–1 record however, the passing game was subpar as Sanchez struggled to accurately throw the football. Sanchez recorded his first career 300-yard passing game in a win over the Detroit Lions on November 7, 2010. At 10–4, the Jets faced the Chicago Bears on December 26, 2010 with a chance to clinch a playoff berth. Though Sanchez injured his shoulder in a victory over Pittsburgh the previous week, he started the game completing 24 of his 37 passes for a touchdown and an interception. However, the Jets were unable to defend the Bears's offense and subsequently lost the game 38–31 after a comeback drive was halted when Sanchez was intercepted. Due to a loss by the Jacksonville Jaguars that same day, the Jets clinched the playoff berth. Sanchez finished the season with 3,291 yards, 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

The Jets finished the season with an 11–5 record and entered the wild card round facing the Indianapolis Colts in a rematch of their previous encounter in the AFC Championship. Although Sanchez had a subpar performance completing 18 of his 31 passes and throwing an interception, he led the team in the final minutes of the game on a comeback drive culminating with kicker Nick Folk kicking the game-winning field goal as time expired. The Jets went on to face rival New England Patriots in the divisional round and upset the heavily favored Patriots 28–21 as Sanchez completed 16 of his 25 passes for 194 yards and three touchdowns. With the win, Sanchez tied Len Dawson, Roger Staubach, Jake Delhomme, and Joe Flacco for most post-season road victories by a quarterback in NFL history. The team traveled to the AFC Championship, for a second consecutive season, to face the Pittsburgh Steelers on January 23, 2011. After heading into halftime down 24–3, the team, led by Sanchez, engineered a comeback following a heartfelt speech given by the quarterback at halftime. However, the team fell short as their final offensive drive was stymied by the Steelers defense and the Jets lost 24–19.

Prior to the outset of the 2011 season, head coach Rex Ryan named Sanchez the team captain.

Player profile

Sanchez has been praised for his ability to maintain composure, in spite of defensive pressure, and focus on finding an open receiver on the field thus, allowing him to extend the team's offensive series. In his two-year career, Sanchez has had five fourth quarter comebacks and several game winning drives. His calm demeanor in pressing situations has earned him the respect of Bill Parcells and Sam Wyche and has even garnered comparisons to Ben Roethlisberger and Joe Montana.

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Sanchez is known for his fierce, competitive nature. In December 2010, following dismal performances, Rex Ryan threatened to reduce Sanchez's repetitions with the first-team offense during practice. Sanchez was immediately incensed and at one point was prepared to fight Ryan for his job.

Sanchez has also been praised for his arm strength, immediately drawing comparisons to Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath. Sanchez has proven to be proficient in short passing situations as well. He is well-respected and viewed as a leader amongst his peers.

After undergoing knee surgery following his rookie season, Sanchez established "Jets West" in 2010, an annual off-season camp located in his home state of California. Sanchez hosts workouts and offers classroom review sessions for his skill-position teammates on offense for one week. Originally intended to aid his rehabilitation, the sessions have grown into an extension of his leadership and fosters an environment to build team chemistry albeit exclusively with his offensive counterparts. During the NFL labor dispute, Sanchez managed to organize private workouts with over forty of his teammates.

Personal life

Sanchez is an avid fan of musical theatre. He was a presenter at the 2010 Tony Awards, where he introduced a number from the Broadway musical ''Memphis''. On stage at Radio City Music Hall, Sanchez stated, "I've become a huge fan of musicals since I've come to New York, and I've taken some heat from guys on the team, believe me."

Sanchez's father is a fire captain for the Orange County Fire Authority and a member of the national urban search and rescue team. In college, Nick Sanchez played quarterback for East Los Angeles College, was later a sergeant in the United States Army. His two older brothers both played college football. Nick Jr. attended Yale University where he played quarterback while Brandon attended DePauw University where he played on the offensive line. Nick Jr. went on to attend the USC Law School and is a business attorney; Brandon became a mortgage broker.

Philanthropic works

Sanchez has been involved in multiple charities including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to help raise awareness for Type 1 diabetes. He is also involved with Sam's Club's ''Giving Made Simple'' which, helps raise awareness about childhood obesity and how families can prevent it.

Sanchez has worked with the Teddy Atlas Foundation through which he met Aiden Binkley, a terminally ill 11-year old struck with rhabdomyosarcoma. Sanchez developed a bond with Binkley and the two remained close friends until Binkley's death in December 2010 which devastated Sanchez.

Mexican-American identity

When Sanchez was elevated to prominence at USC, he found himself a symbol of Mexican-American identity and a role model for younger generations. Sanchez was placed on center stage in Los Angeles, home to more than 4.6 million Hispanics, the majority of whom are of Mexican descent. While there had been previous, successful Mexican-American quarterbacks such as Tom Flores, Jim Plunkett, Joe Kapp, Jeff Garcia, Tony Romo, and Marc Bulger, unlike most of his predecessors, Sanchez is a third-generation, full Mexican and none had been embraced to the extent Sanchez was. USC fans began playing up Sanchez's ethnicity by wearing items such as sarapes, lucha libre masks and homemade "¡Viva Sanchez!" T-shirts. His rise to fame within the Mexican-American community was compared to that of boxer Oscar De La Hoya and baseball pitcher Fernando Valenzuela.

While starting for an injured John David Booty in 2007, Sanchez wore a custom mouthguard that featured the colors of the Mexican flag in honor of his heritage. It became a prominent issue after his nationally televised game against Notre Dame. The mouthpiece became a symbol for two opposing viewpoints: for Mexican-Americans, it was a symbol of unity—Sanchez accepting his heritage; for critics, the gesture symbolized a radical political statement. Sanchez, who was born and raised in the United States, reportedly received letters urging him to return to Mexico. Sanchez responded to the controversy stating, "It’s not a Mexican power thing or anything like that. It’s just a little bit of pride in our heritage. Hopefully, it inspires somebody and it’s all for the best." Overwhelmed by the attention and shying away from politics, Sanchez stopped wearing the mouthpiece, but began participating in other efforts to help the Hispanic community.

Sanchez, who knew how to speak some Spanish but was not bilingual going into his junior season at USC, began to take Spanish lessons so he could have conversations with others who share his heritage and conduct interviews with the media without the use of a translator. The USC band played "El Matador" when Sanchez would take the field. Sanchez participated in a fundraiser to help provide school supplies to first-graders in the city of Long Beach and region of South Bay, and helped Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa give holiday gifts to impoverished families. By the end of his USC career, he had been hailed as a significant role model for Hispanic youth. Sanchez serves as the Ambassador to the Inner-City Games Los Angeles, an after-school program that provides "at-risk youth" with positive, alternative activities. Sanchez was most recently seen throwing out the first pitch at a Los Angeles Angels game in July 2009 on behalf of the Inner-City organization. ESPN Radio came to an agreement with the Jets to broadcast all of the team's regular season games in 2011 on 710 ESPN Radio in Los Angeles. The agreement came about due to Sanchez's continued popularity in California.

Statistics

USC

7 !2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season 114 !2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season 366

rowspan="2"	Year !! rowspan="2"|Team !! rowspan="2"|G !! rowspan="2"|GS !! colspan="8" |Passing !! colspan="4" |Rushing
! Att !! Comp !! Pct !! Yds !! Y/A !! TD !! Int !! Rtg !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! TD
![[2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season	3	0	|	3	42.9	63	9.0	0	1	89.9	4	-5	-1.3	1
2007 !	USC	6	3	|	69	60.5	695	6.1	7	5	123.2	14	22	1.6	0
2008 !	USC	13	13	|	241	65.8	3207	8.8	34	10	164.6	52	16	0.3	3
Total !! 22 !! 16 !! 487 !! 313 !! 64.3 !! 3965 !! 8.1 !! 41 !! 16 !! 153.9 !! 70 !! 33 !! 0.3 !! 4

New York Jets

Regular season

364 !2010 NFL season 507

rowspan="2"	Year !! rowspan="2"|Team !! rowspan="2"|G !! rowspan="2"|GS !! colspan="8" |Passing !! colspan="4" |Rushing !! colspan="2" |Sacked !! colspan="2" |Fumbles
! Att !! Comp !! Pct !! Yds !! Y/A !! TD !! Int !! Rtg !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! TD !! Sack !! YdsL !! Fum !! FumL
![[2009 NFL season	15	15	|	196	53.8	2444	6.7	12	20	63.0	36	106	2.9	3	26	195	10	3
2010 !	NYJ	16	16	|	278	54.8	3291	6.5	17	13	75.3	30	105	3.5	3	27	171	9	1
Total !! 31 !! 31 !! 871 !! 474 !! 54.4 !! 5735 !! 6.6 !! 29 !! 33 !! 70.2 !! 66 !! 211 !! 3.2 !! 6 !! 53 !! 366 !! 19 !! 4

Playoffs

68 !2010 NFL season 89

rowspan="2"	Year !! rowspan="2"|Team !! rowspan="2"|G !! rowspan="2"|GS !! colspan="8" |Passing !! colspan="4" |Rushing
! Att !! Comp !! Pct !! Yds !! Y/A !! TD !! Int !! Rtg !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! TD
![[2009 NFL season	3	3	|	41	60.3	539	7.9	4	2	92.7	6	-2	-0.3	0
2010 !	NYJ	3	3	|	54	60.9	616	6.9	5	1	97.3	5	11	2.2	0
Total !! 6 !! 6 !! 157 !! 95 !! 60.5 !! 1155!! 7.4 !! 9 !! 3 !! 94.3 !! 11 !! 9 !! 0.82 !! 0

Career highlights

Awards and honors

{|class="wikitable" width="80%" text-align: center; |- !style="background:#ccccff;"|Award/Honor !style="background:#ccccff;"|Time(s) !style="background:#ccccff;"|Year(s) |- !colspan="10" style="text-align: center; background:#ccccff;|National Football League |- |Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week |3 |2009 |- |''Sporting News''' All Rookie Team |1 |2009 |- !colspan="10" style="text-align: center; background:#ccccff;|College |- |Rose Bowl Champion |3 |2007, 2008, 2009 |- |Rose Bowl Offensive Most Valuable Player |1 |2009 |- |First Team All-Pac 10 |1 |2008 |- |''Sports Illustrated'' and ''Pro Football Weekly'' All-American Honorable Mention |1 |2008 |- !colspan="10" style="text-align: center; background:#ccccff;|High school |- |Super Prep All-American Player of the Year |1 |2004 |- |Parade All-American Player of the Year |1 |2004 |- |CIF Division II Champion |1 |2004 |- |All-CIF Division II Co-Offensive Player of the Year |1 |2004 |- |}

Records

{|class="wikitable" margin: 5px; text-align: center; |- |+NFL Records |- !style="background:#ccccff;|Accomplishment !style="background:#ccccff;|Record (as of January 24, 2011) |- !style="background:#ddddee;" colspan="2"|Regular season |- !colspan="10" style="text-align: center; background:#ccccff;|''None'' |- !style="background:#ddddee;" colspan="2"|Postseason |- |Tied for most post-season road victories by a quarterback in NFL history (tied with Len Dawson, Roger Staubach, Jake Delhomme and Joe Flacco) |4 |- |}

References

External links

New York Jets bio

USC Trojans bio

Mark Sanchez at ESPN.com

Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:American football quarterbacks Category:American sportspeople of Mexican descent Category:New York Jets players Category:People from Long Beach, California Category:Sportspeople from Orange County, California Category:Players of American football from California Category:U.S. Army All-American football players Category:USC Trojans football players

da:Mark Sanchez de:Mark Sanchez es:Mark Sanchez fr:Mark Sanchez it:Mark Sanchez ja:マーク・サンチェス pt:Mark Sanchez fi:Mark Sanchez tl:Mark Sanchez

Coordinates	39°44′21″N104°59′5″N
Name	Deion Sanders
Currentnumber	21, 37
Currentpositionplain	Cornerback/ Return specialist
Birth date	August 09, 1967
Heightft	6
Heightin	1
Weight	198
College	Florida State
Draftyear	1989
Draftround	1
Draftpick	5
Debutyear	1990
Debutteam	Atlanta Falcons
Finalteam	Baltimore Ravens
Finalyear	2005
Pastteams	Atlanta Falcons (1989–1993) San Francisco 49ers (1994) Dallas Cowboys (1995–1999) Washington Redskins (2000) Baltimore Ravens (2004–2005)
Highlights	Rated #34 NFL player of all-time by NFL.com 8× Pro Bowl selection (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999) 8× All-Pro selection (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999) 2× Super Bowl champion (XXIX, XXX) AP Defensive Player of the Year (1994) 2× NFC Defensive Player of the Year (1993, 1994) Co-NFL Alumni Special Teams Player of the Year (1998) with Gary Anderson Pro Bowl Record in Interceptions in a career (4) tied with Everson Walls Jim Thorpe Award (1988) NFL 1990s All-Decade Team Atlanta Falcons Ring of Honor 2011 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Statseason	2005
Statlabel1	Interceptions
Statvalue1	53
Statlabel2	Interception return yards
Statvalue2	1,331
Statlabel3	Touchdowns
Statvalue3	22
Nfl	SAN282736
Hof	302 }}

Name	Deion Sanders
Currentnumber	24
Position	Outfielder
Bats	Left
Throws	Left
Birth date	August 09, 1967
Birth place	Fort Myers, Florida
Currentteam	Cincinnati Reds
Debutdate	May 31
Debutyear	1989
Debutteam	New York Yankees
Finaldate	June 14
Finalyear	2001
Finalteam	Cincinnati Reds
Stat1label	Batting average
Stat1value	.263
Stat2label	Home runs
Stat2value	39
Stat3label	Hits
Stat3value	558
Stat4label	Stolen bases
Stat4value	186
Teams	New York Yankees (–) Atlanta Braves (–) Cincinnati Reds (–) San Francisco Giants () Cincinnati Reds (, )
Highlights	Led NL in triples in 1992 with 14 }}

Deion Luwynn Sanders (; born August 9, 1967), nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion", is a former National Football League cornerback and Major League Baseball outfielder who currently works as an NFL Network analyst. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 6, 2011.

Sanders is considered one of the most versatile athletes in sporting history because he played two sports at multiple positions. In the NFL, he played primarily at cornerback, but also occasionally as a wide receiver, kick returner, and punt returner. He played for the Atlanta Falcons, the San Francisco 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Redskins, and the Baltimore Ravens, winning the Super Bowl with both the 49ers and the Cowboys. In baseball, he played for the New York Yankees, the Atlanta Braves, the Cincinnati Reds, and the San Francisco Giants. He attended Florida State University, where he excelled at both football and baseball.

Biography

High school years

Sanders was born in Fort Myers, Florida. He attended North Fort Myers High School in North Fort Myers, Florida, and was a lettermanand credited All-State in football, basketball, and baseball. He was an All-State honoree in all three sports. In 1985, Sanders was named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team which selected the Top 33 players in the 100 year history of high school football in the state of Florida.

College career

Sanders was a star in three sports for Florida State: football, baseball, and track. Beginning his freshman year, he started in the Seminoles' secondary, played outfield for the baseball team that finished fifth in the nation, and helped lead the track and field team to a conference championship.

At Florida State University, under head coach Bobby Bowden, Sanders was a two time consensus All-American cornerback in 1986 and 1987, and a third team All-American in 1988, intercepting 14 passes in his career, including three in bowl games, and managed to return one interception 100 yards for a touchdown breaking Fred Biletnikoff's interception return record by one yard. He won the Jim Thorpe Award in 1988. He was also a standout punt returner for Florida State, leading the nation in 1988 with his punt return average, and breaking the school's record for career punt return yards. Based on those accolades, his jersey at Florida State, #2, was retired in 1995.

While playing baseball under head coach Mike Martin, at Florida State, Sanders hit .331 in 1986; he was known more for base stealing, swiping 27 bags in 1987. Sanders was drafted while in college by the New York Yankees (He also was selected by the Kansas City Royals out of North Fort Myers High School, though he did not sign.)

Sanders once played the first game of a baseball doubleheader, ran a leg of a 4x100 relay, then returned to play another baseball game.

Personal life

Sanders has been married twice — to Carolyn Chambers, with whom he has two children (Deion Jr. and Deiondra), and Pilar Biggers with whom he has 3 children (Shilo, Shedeur and Shelomi). Deion appeared with his family on the NBC show Celebrity Family Feud which premiered on June 24, 2008.

Deion Sanders, along with J.M. Black, published his autobiography. ''Power, Money & Sex: How Success Almost Ruined My Life''. World Publishing 1998. The book was inspired after he began counseling with Bishop T.D. Jakes. Sanders notes his agent Eugene E. Parker as another person who also influenced his life.

Other

Although Deion Sanders was ranked fourth on the NFL Network's Top 10 - Fastest Players in NFL History, Sanders lost to Willie Gault in the 1990 Super Stars Competition's 100 yard dash and half mile run.

Sanders became involved in a dispute with MLB catcher Carlton Fisk. Fisk, a baseball Hall of Fame catcher, confronted Sanders during a game at Yankee Stadium. Deion, a Yankee, started by stepping up to the plate with 1 out and a runner on third, drawing a dollar sign in the dirt before the pitch and then failing to run to first base after hitting a routine pop fly to shortstop, trotting back to the dugout instead. The Yankee fans booed, and Fisk, who was on the opposing team and thought Sanders was "playing the game the wrong way" and tarnishing baseball, said "Run the fucking ball out you piece of shit." Deion replied, "The days of slavery are over." Fisk later stated: "He comes up and wants to make it a racial issue, there's no racial issue involved. There is a right way and a wrong way to play this game." The infamous incident was later recounted by Fisk on both ESPN Classic and a CNBC interview with Tim Russert on his show.

MLB career

Sanders played a nine-year, part-time baseball career, playing 641 games with 4 teams. He was originally drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 6th round of the 1985 draft, but did not sign with them. He was drafted again in the 30th round of the 1988 draft by the New York Yankees and signed with the team on June 22. Sanders later signed with the Atlanta Braves, and during his most productive year in the majors, the 1992 season, he hit .304 for the team, stole 26 bases, and led the NL with 14 triples in 97 games. During the 1989 season, he hit a major league home run and scored a touchdown in the NFL in the same week, the only player to ever do so. Sanders is also the only man to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series.

Sanders is known in Braves lore as the player who brought the "tomahawk chop". It was adopted by those fans, as Sanders, himself a Florida State alum, was familiar with the Seminoles War Chant. The tomahawk chop continues to be a rally gesture for Braves fans to this day.

On July 31 of the 1991 MLB season, Sanders hit a key three-run homer to spark a comeback win against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the Braves' improbable run to the National League West Division title. However, he had to leave the Braves the very next day to report to the Atlanta Falcons because of a clause in his NFL contract and missed the postseason. Before the 1992 season, Sanders reworked his NFL deal whereby he still reported to the Falcons for training camp in August, but was allowed to rejoin the Braves for the postseason.

In four games of the 1992 World Series, Sanders batted .533 with 4 runs, 8 hits, 2 doubles, and 1 RBI while playing with a broken bone in his foot. Despite Sanders's performance, the Braves ultimately lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in six games. In Game 3, he narrowly avoided being a victim of what would have been only the second triple play in World Series history (following Bill Wambsganss' unassisted triple play in 1920). With Sanders on second base and Terry Pendleton on first, David Justice hit a deep fly ball to center field that Blue Jays center fielder Devon White unexpectedly caught with a leaping effort. Pendleton passed Sanders on the bases for the second out, but umpire Bob Davidson called Sanders safe after he scampered back to second base. Replays showed that Toronto third baseman Kelly Gruber tagged him on the heel before he returned to second.

In 1997, Sanders finished 2nd in the NL with 56 stolen bases in 115 games while with the Cincinnati Reds before leaving baseball for three years.

Sanders returned to the Reds in 2001, but was released after playing in only 29 games and batting just .173. Following his release from the Reds he signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays triple-A affiliate, Syracuse Chiefs. Sanders was hitting .337 for Syracuse before the Washington Redskins found a loophole in his contract that said he could miss training camp and the first few games of the season if he were playing Major League Baseball. Since he was not currently on an MLB roster, Sanders had to leave Syracuse and return to the Redskins so he would not violate his NFL contract. But before arriving at training camp, Sanders informed Redskins personnel he was retiring from professional baseball. In his final professional baseball game, Sanders hit a solo home run and had an RBI single in Syracuse's 12-6 win over the Toledo Mud Hens.

NFL career

Atlanta Falcons

Sanders' professional football career started the same year as his baseball career, 1989. He was the fifth pick overall in the 1989 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, where he played until 1993. Sanders returned his first career punt return for a touchdown. During his time in Atlanta, he intercepted 24 passes (including a career high 7 in 1993), three of which he returned for touchdowns. In 1992, he also led the league in kickoff return yards (1,067), yards per return (26.7) and return touchdowns (2). On October 11, 1992, Sanders played in a Falcons game at Miami and then flew to Pittsburgh, hoping to play in the Braves' League Championship Series game against the Pirates that evening and become the first athlete to play in two professional leagues in the same day. Sanders ultimately did not, however, appear in the baseball game that night. Over his five years with the Falcons, Sanders found his way to the end zone ten times (three defensive, three kick returns, two punt returns, and two receptions).

San Francisco 49ers

After five seasons Sanders signed on to play one season with the San Francisco 49ers, where he had arguably his best season as a professional football player, recording six interceptions and returning them for an NFL best 303 yards and three touchdowns. On October 16, 1994, Deion was the big story as he made his dramatic return to the Georgia Dome in a 49er uniform. After getting into a scuffle with his former Falcon teammate Andre Rison, Sanders intercepted a pass from quarterback Jeff George and proceeded to return it 93 yards while mockingly staring down the entire Falcons sideline before high-stepping into the end zone. Sanders was later voted the 1994 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and recorded an interception in the 49ers 49–26 win over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX. After the season, Jerry Rice and Sanders publicly feuded — Rice fumed at the idea that the media felt Sanders was the missing link to the 49ers Super Bowl run and that it was not giving credit to the other 52 men in the locker room.

Dallas Cowboys

Following his successful season with the 49ers, Sanders, along with his agent Eugene Parker, proceeded to court numerous teams in need of an All-Pro cornerback. The several teams in the "Deion Sweepstakes," as it was coined by the media, were the Philadelphia Eagles, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys, who had lost their starting cornerback Kevin Smith to injury for the rest of the season.

On September 9, 1995 (which happened to fall in Week 2 of that NFL season), Sanders signed a lucrative contract with the Dallas Cowboys (seven years, $35 million with a $12.99 million signing bonus), essentially making him, at the time, the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. Sanders later stated in his book ''Power, Money & Sex: How Success Almost Ruined My Life'' that the Oakland Raiders offered him more money than any other team, but he chose to play in Dallas for more time on the offensive side of the ball, a chance to win back-to-back Super Bowls, and because of his friendship with Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin. Arthroscopic surgery kept him sidelined until his debut in Week 9, which was once again in Atlanta against the Falcons, though this time Sanders' debut with his new team was not as dramatic as it was with the 49ers (the Cowboys won, 28 to 13). He went on to help the Cowboys win their third Super Bowl title in four years in Super Bowl XXX against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he returned a punt for 11 yards and caught a 47-yard reception on offense, setting up Dallas' first touchdown of the game and a 27–17 victory. Sanders proceeded to play four more seasons with Dallas, earning Pro Bowl berths in all of them, though the Cowboys would only win one playoff game (in 1996 against the Minnesota Vikings) during that time.

Washington Redskins

After five seasons with the Cowboys, new Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder pursued Sanders along with other high priced free agents Mark Carrier and Bruce Smith. Sanders played one season with the Redskins, having four interceptions before retiring in 2001. Late in the 2002 NFL season Sanders contemplated a return to the NFL, specifically to the Oakland Raiders. With his rights still the property of the Redskins, he lobbied and received his release from the team and was waived. The San Diego Chargers claimed Sanders' rights and placed him on their Reserve-Retired List. Sanders opted to stay retired.

During the 2002 season, Sanders was a frequent guest commentator on Monday Night Football. On an amusing note, during a Monday Night Football game between Dallas and Washington that year, it was mentioned that Sanders, who was part of the broadcast team for the game, was still collecting salaries from both teams as part of the contracts he had held with each.

Baltimore Ravens

In 2004, Sanders announced that he was going to end his retirement, after being lured back to football by Ravens cornerback Corey Fuller, linebacker Ray Lewis and best friend Joe Zorovich. He signed a 1-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens to be a nickelback. Sanders chose to wear the number 37, which matched his age at the time, to preemptively let people know that he was well aware of his relative senior status as an NFL player (additionally, the number 21, used by Sanders throughout his career, was already being worn by Ravens Pro Bowl cornerback Chris McAlister). Against the Buffalo Bills in Week 7 of 2004, Sanders scored his ninth career interception return touchdown, moving him into a tie for second place with Ken Houston and Aeneas Williams, and behind Rod Woodson (with 12) for all-time in the statistical category.

In January 2006, after playing two seasons for Baltimore in which the Ravens did not qualify for the postseason, Sanders once again retired from the NFL and became an analyst for the NFL Network.

Legacy

During his 14-year NFL career, Sanders was a perennial All-Pro and one of the most feared pass defenders to ever play the game. While critics argued that his tackling was poor and he was not much of a factor in run support, they could not deny his closing speed.

Sanders also occasionally lined up with his team's offense. During the 1996 season, Sanders skipped the baseball season by concentrating strictly on football and attended the first NFL training camp of his career to better familiarize himself with the nuances of the wide receiver position. He became the second two-way starter (after the Cardinals' Roy Green) in the NFL since Chuck Bednarik for the first half of the season due to Michael Irvin serving a five game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

During his career, Sanders intercepted 53 passes for 1,331 yards (a 25.1 yards per return average), recovered four fumbles for 15 yards, returned 155 kickoffs for 3,523 yards, gained 2,199 yards on 212 punt returns, and caught 60 passes for 784 yards. Sanders amassed 7,838 all-purpose yards and scored 22 touchdowns: nine interception returns, six punt returns, three kickoff returns, three receiving, and one fumble recovery. His 19 defensive and return touchdowns are an NFL record. He was selected to eight Pro Bowls in 1991--1994, 1996–1999. He was also awarded the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1994.

''College Football News'' named Sanders #8 in its list of 100 Greatest College Football Players of All-Time.

''The Sporting News named Sanders #37 in their Top 100 Football Players of the Century released in 1999.''

ESPN named Sanders #74 in its list of the 100 Great Athletes of the Century released in 1999.

NFL.com named Sanders #34 on NFL's Top 100 list released in late 2010

On November 11, 2010 Sanders was inducted into the Atlanta Falcons' Ring of Honor.

On February 5, 2011 Sanders was announced as a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee in his first year of eligibility.

On May 17, 2011, Sanders was announced as a College Football Hall of Fame inductee.

Sanders also had a rushing TD in the playoffs (against the Philadelphia Eagles in January 1996). This makes him (including post season) one of only two players in NFL history (Bill Dudley being the other) to score a touchdown six different ways (interception return, punt return, kickoff return, receiving, rushing, and a fumble recovery).

On February 6, 2011, at Super Bowl XLV, Sanders performed the pre-game coin toss.

Media appearances and pop culture fame

Following his first Super Bowl victory with the San Francisco 49ers, Sanders was the host of ''Saturday Night Live'', broadcast on February 18, 1995.

Sanders has been in numerous television commercials for Nike, Pepsi, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and American Express. He was most notable as the Road Runner in a Pepsi ad with Wile E. Coyote, and in a Pizza Hut commercial where he responds to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones questions ("Football or baseball?" and "Offense or defense?") with "both!!", including the question "So what'll it be, Deion? $15...20 million?" Sanders pauses to think it over, and says, "Umm...both." He also makes a cameo as himself in the film ''Celtic Pride''.

Sanders, known for his custom-made showy suits and flashy jewelry, frequently capitalized on his image. On December 26, 1994 Sanders released ''Prime Time'', a rap album on Bust It Records (MC Hammer's label) that featured the minor hit "Must Be The Money." "Prime Time Keeps on Tickin'" was also released as a single. Sanders, a friend of Hammer's, appeared in his "Too Legit to Quit" music video. His alter-ego "Prime Time" is also used in Hammer's "Pumps and a Bump" video. Hammer, a big sports fan, had launched a new enterprise during his career called Roll Wit It Entertainment & Sports Management (which released DRS' two-million-selling "Gangsta Lean") and had clients such as Evander Holyfield, Deion Sanders and Reggie Brooks. In 1995, Hammer released "Straight to My Feet" (with Deion Sanders) from the ''Street Fighter'' soundtrack (released in December 1994). The song charted #57 in the UK.

After retiring from the NFL, Sanders worked as a sports pre-game commentator for CBS' ''The NFL Today'' until 2004, when contract negotiations failed. Sanders turned down a 30% salary increase demanding to be paid $2.5 million, the highest of any NFL TV analyst. He was replaced by Shannon Sharpe. During Sanders's run, he participated in several sketches. The first was "Primetime and 21st," a mock street corner where Sanders (not yet a regular panelist) would give his opinions. Another was his "Sanders Claus" persona, one of numerous sketches that involved young kids in football jerseys, representing NFL players, receiving a sarcastic gift from Sanders. Deion actually debuted as "Sanders Claus" in a set of Nike commercials. Still to this day Deion takes presents at Christmas time to local children's hospitals in his area dressed as "Sanders Claus".

Sanders frequently made guest appearances on ESPN, especially on the ESPN Radio Dallas affiliate, and briefly hosted a show called ''The New American Sportsman''. He also hosted the 2002 Miss USA pageant.

Sanders also was co-host of the 2004 GMA Music Awards broadcast, taped in late April 2004, slated for an airing on UPN in May 2004. When negotiations with fellow Viacom property CBS failed (see above) two weeks before the broadcast, and he signed a deal with ESPN, UPN promptly canceled the broadcast, and the show aired on the i Network in December 2004 (both UPN and CBS are now owned by CBS Corporation).

Sanders currently works at NFL Network as an analyst on a number of the network's shows. Prior to the Sunday night game, Sanders, alongside host Rich Eisen and Steve Mariucci, breaks down all the action from the afternoon matchups on NFL GameDay Highlights. At the conclusion of all the action on Sunday, Sanders, Mariucci, Michael Irvin and host Fran Charles recap the day’s action on NFL GameDay Final with highlights, analysis and postgame interviews. For the 2010 season, Sanders joined Eisen, Mariucci and Marshall Faulk on the road for Thursday Night Kickoff Presented by Lexus, NFL Network’s two-hour pregame show leading into Thursday Night Football. The group broadcasts live from the stadium two hours prior to all eight live Thursday Night Football games and returns for the Sprint Halftime Show and Kay Jewelers Postgame Show. Sanders also has a segment called "Let's Go Primetime" on NFL Network.

Sanders currently stars in his own reality show -- Deion & Pilar: Prime Time Love -- centered around him, his wife, and their five children, all of whom live in the small town of Prosper, Texas.

"Prime Time" persona

Deion Sanders will often be remembered for sporting his famous "do-rag or bandana" and for his "High-Stepping" into the end zone followed by his touchdown dance celebrations. At the same time, Sanders will also be remembered for being one of the most visible and outspoken football players to ever take the field due to his alter-ego, Prime Time. A marketing ploy as much as an alternate personality as it was given to him by a friend and high school teammate, Florida Gators defensive back Richard Fain. The two played pickup basketball games together during the prime time television hour, and Sanders' athletic display during those games won him that title. Once in the NFL, Sanders felt he deserved to be paid as much as NFL quarterbacks and in 1995 he used the "Prime Time" strategy to sign a seven-year, $35 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys (the contract was essentially five years, but was given a seven-year length for an easier cap hit and the signing bonus was $12,999,999.99, one cent under $13 million due to a superstition of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones). At one point, he was the highest paid defensive player in the league and set the benchmark price-tag for future "shut-down corners". Prime Time was upset that he was placed #34 on the list of Top 100 NFL players and said that he should at least be in the top 10.

At the end of his Hall of Fame speech, he put a bandana on his bust.

Other ventures

In addition to his sports career, Sanders also had a career in music as a rapper. He released his debut album Prime Time on Capitol Records in 1994. Sanders moved on to other ventures after his retirement. In 2003, Sanders took interest in Devin Hester, a return specialist from the University of Miami Hurricanes. Sanders mentored Hester, counseling and advising him during various points of his collegiate career. The Chicago Bears drafted Hester in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Since then, Hester has broken, tied, or approached many NFL return records. Hester has cited Sanders as one of his major inspirations and idols, and thanked him for his training and advice. Hester, also known as “Anytime,” occasionally performs Sanders’ signature touchdown dance and high-steps in homage to his mentor.

Sanders also tried to adopt a high school running back, Noel Devine, who was one of the top recruits in 2007. Sanders was advised against this, but responded, "He doesn't have parents; they died. God put this young man in my heart. This is not about sports. This is about a kid's life." He now mentors Devine, and was a factor in Devine's extended wait to sign a letter-of-intent to West Virginia University. Devine eventually signed to play football for the Mountaineers. Sanders has also been the mentor to San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree, as well as Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, Dez Bryant.

In January 2004, Sanders was hired as an assistant coach to the Dallas Fury, a women's professional basketball team in the National Women's Basketball League, even though Sanders had never played organized basketball either in college or the professional level.

On September 2, 2005, in response to the after-effects of Hurricane Katrina, Sanders challenged all professional athletes in the four major sports to donate $1,000 each to relief efforts, hoping to raise between $1.5 and $3 million total. Sanders said "Through unity, we can touch thousands....I have friends and relatives that feel this pain. Help in any way you can." In April 2006, Sanders became an owner of the Austin Wranglers, an Arena Football League team.

Sanders has occasionally served as a celebrity spokesperson, such as representing Monitronics, a security system firm, at an industry conference in the spring of 2010.

Discography

Year	Album	Chart Positions
		! style="width:45px;"	! style="width:45px;"
1994	style="text-align:left;"	70	14
2005		-	-

See also

List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases

List of Major League Baseball triples champions

Notes

External links

Sanders Claus

The Official Website of Deion Sanders

Deion's column at news-press.com, Fort Myers, Florida

Football statistics

Deion Sanders ZFOOTBALL 4-on-4 Flag Football Tournaments

Category:Living people Category:1967 births Category:All-American college football players Category:American football cornerbacks Category:American football return specialists Category:American football wide receivers Category:Atlanta Falcons players Category:Baltimore Ravens players Category:Dallas Cowboys players Category:San Francisco 49ers players Category:Washington Redskins players Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players Category:Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees Category:National Football League announcers Category:Gulf Coast Yankees players Category:Fort Lauderdale Yankees players Category:Columbus Clippers players Category:Albany-Colonie Yankees players Category:Richmond Braves players Category:Chattanooga Lookouts players Category:Louisville RiverBats players Category:Syracuse SkyChiefs players Category:Major League Baseball center fielders Category:Major League Baseball left fielders Category:Atlanta Braves players Category:Cincinnati Reds players Category:New York Yankees players Category:San Francisco Giants players Category:Baseball players from Florida Category:African American baseball players Category:Florida State University alumni Category:Florida State Seminoles baseball players Category:Florida State Seminoles football players Category:Sportspeople of multiple sports Category:African American players of American football Category:American Christians Category:People from Fort Myers, Florida Category:People from Atlanta, Georgia Category:Participants in American reality television series Category:Arena Football League executives Category:People from Mount Pleasant, New York

de:Deion Sanders fr:Deion Sanders ja:ディオン・サンダース pt:Deion Sanders

Coordinates	39°44′21″N104°59′5″N
Birth date	August 14, 1958
Birth place	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
College	Boston College
Position	Safety
Draftedyear	1981
Draftedround	10
Draftedpick	265
Awards	1979 Scanlan Award
Years	1982–1983
Teams	New York Giants
Databasefootball	MAYOCMIK01
Pfr	}}

Michael Francis Mayock (born August 14, 1958) is a former American football safety in the NFL. Mayock is currently a game analyst and a draft analyst for the NFL Network, as well as an analyst for NBC's coverage of University of Notre Dame football.

Pro career

He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the tenth round (#265) of the 1981 NFL Draft. His playing career was with the New York Giants from 1982 to 1984.

Broadcasting career

From 2005 to the present he has worked with the NFL Network, and he has served as a college football analyst for ABC Sports. Prior to ABC, he has called college football action for Fox Sports Net during the 2000 season, after spending four years (1996–99) as a member of CBS Sports' broadcast team—during which time he served as both a game analyst (1996, '97 and '99) and lead sideline reporter (1998). He also worked as a reporter for CBS's coverage of the NCAA basketball tournament in 1997, '98 and '99.

He joined CBS from ESPN, where he worked as an analyst and sideline reporter for the cable network's coverage of the Canadian Football League and college football from 1993–95. Additionally, Mayock has experience covering college football for Prime Network, NCAA Productions, Prime Sports Radio and the Big East Conference.

He has been the color commentator for the Minnesota Vikings preseason games since the 2007 season.

He now is an analyst for NFL Network and hosts the show ''Path To The Draft'' during draft season as a draft guru. During NFL Network’s live coverage of ''Thursday Night Football'', Mayock provides ‘Instant Playbook’ from the NFL Films studios exclusively for NFL.com/LIVE: ''Thursday Night Football'', which presents a live show throughout the game with live look-ins of the action, plus analysis from Paul Burmeister, Jamie Dukes and Bucky Brooks from NFL Network’s Los Angeles studios.

In 2010, Mayock became the color commentator for NBC's coverage of Notre Dame football, teaming with play-by-play announcer Tom Hammond. On January 8, 2011 Mayock teamed with Hammond to call NBC's coverage of the Wild Card playoff game between the New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks. This was his first NFL Playoffs game as a broadcaster.

In 2011 Mayock was named as game analyst for NFL Network's future ''Thursday Night Football'' telecasts.

References

External links

''Boston College Eagles:'' Mike Mayock

Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:American football safeties Category:Boston College Eagles baseball players Category:Boston College Eagles football players Category:Canadian Football League announcers Category:College basketball announcers in the United States Category:College football announcers Category:Minnesota Vikings broadcasters Category:National Football League announcers Category:New York Giants players Category:Notre Dame Fighting Irish football broadcasters Category:People from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Category:Players of American football from Pennsylvania

Coordinates	39°44′21″N104°59′5″N
{{infobox nfl coach |name	Rex Ryan |Color#0C371D |fontcolorwhite |imageRex Ryan with Ravens 2008-08-03 crop.jpg |image_size250 |captionRex Ryan during his tenure with Ravens |birth_dateDecember 13, 1962 |birth_placeArdmore, Oklahoma |death_date |collegeSouthwestern Oklahoma State |positionHead coach |Career Highlights |honors |records |RegularRecord20–12–0 |playoff_record4–2 |record24–14–0 |SuperBowls |championships |StatsY |DatabaseFootballCoachRyanRex01 |PFRCoachRyanRe0 |coachyes |coachingyears1987–198819891990–19931994–19951996–1997199819991999–20042005–200820082009–present
Coachingteams	Eastern Kentucky(Graduate Assistant)New Mexico Highlands(Defensive coordinator, assistant head coach)Morehead State(Defensive coordinator)Arizona Cardinals(Linebackers/Def. line coach)Cincinnati(Defensive coordinator)Oklahoma(Defensive coordinator)Kansas State(Defensive coordinator)Baltimore Ravens(Defensive line coach)(Defensive coordinator)(Defensive coordinator/Assistant head coach)New York Jets(Head coach) |HOF }}

Rex Ryan (born December 13, 1962) is an American football head coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League. After serving as an assistant coach for twenty–two years, Ryan attained his first head coaching job in the NFL with the Jets in 2009. He is the son of former Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals head coach Buddy Ryan and is the twin brother of Rob Ryan, defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys.

Upon accepting the position with the Jets, Ryan became well-known throughout the league for his outspoken manner, boisterous attitude and success with the Jets which has included back–to–back AFC Championship appearances in the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Players have expressed their interest in playing for Ryan because of his player-friendly attitude. When the boys were aged two, their parents divorced. Following the divorce, his mother attended the University of Chicago to earn her doctorate. Rex then moved with his mother to Toronto, Canada where she secured an administrative position at the University of Toronto. During the course of his upbringing, Rex wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, a defensive pioneer in the NFL known for developing the 46 defense, and by age six both boys knew they wanted to pursue coaching careers.

In Canada, there was little emphasis on football, much to the disappointment of Rex. By the time Rex was a teenager, he and his brother were frequently getting into trouble. Their mother, Doris, decided it was in the best interest of the brothers to send them to live with their father, who was the defensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings at the time, in the United States. The reasons behind this were two–fold; to keep them out of trouble and to help them expand their knowledge of the game of football where it was more prevalent.

In 1978, when Buddy was hired by the Chicago Bears as their defensive coordinator, Rex followed his father to Illinois where the family settled in Prairie View. The brothers attended Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire.

Rex went on to attend Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma alongside Rob. Rex played for the football team as a defensive end. He graduated from Southwestern Oklahoma in 1986.

Coaching career

College

Upon graduating from Oklahoma, Ryan secured a job as a graduate assistant at Division I-AA (now Division I FCS) Eastern Kentucky in 1987 with the help of his father. At Eastern Kentucky, he was responsible for a multitude of jobs. The Colonels held the Ohio Valley Conference title in the two years Ryan served as an assistant. At the age of 26, Ryan became the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Division II New Mexico Highlands for a year during which the Cowboys led the league in defensive turnovers. After his stint with New Mexico, Ryan joined Division I Morehead State as the defensive coordinator, where he remained for four years. During his tenure, the defense was ranked among the highest in the nation.

After a two-year stint with the NFL's Arizona Cardinals, Ryan returned to college coaching as the defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bearcats. The Bearcats won the first Humanitarian Bowl over Utah State in Ryan's final year, marking the Bearcats' first bowl appearance in fifty years. Ryan was the Oklahoma Sooners' defensive coordinator for a year in which the defense was ranked sixth in the nation. However, head coach John Blake failed to achieve a winning record in three straight years and subsequently, the entire staff was fired. Ryan served as defensive coordinator at Kansas State where he served under legendary head coach Bill Snyder for a month in 1999.

National Football League

Assistant coach

When his father, Buddy, was hired as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals in 1994, Buddy offered Rex his first job in the NFL as a defensive assistant, working with the linebackers and the defensive line. After nine straight losing seasons prior to Buddy's arrival, the Cardinals produced an 8–8 record in Buddy's first year as head coach. However, in his second season, the team went 4–12 and subsequently, the entire staff was fired despite the positive performance of the defense.

Ryan went on to coach at three different colleges following his stint with the Cardinals, though by the time he joined Kansas State in 1999, he was hopeful of a return to the NFL. Having visited a classroom Ryan was teaching earlier in his career, Billick had been so impressed by Ryan's passion for the game of football that he decided to hire Ryan if he ever attained a head coaching position. When offered the position, Ryan accepted.

In his first year, Ryan learned lessons on coaching talent and managing various personalities which contributed to the defense's early success. By his second year, in 2000, the defense set NFL records for fewest points allowed and fewest rushing yards allowed. The defense allowed a combined 23 points in four playoff games en route to a Super Bowl XXXV victory, Ryan's only Super Bowl ring. The defense consistently performed well in the following years and as a result, Ryan was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2005 following the departure of Mike Nolan, who became the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. In 2006, Ryan received Assistant Coach of the Year awards from ''Pro Football Weekly'' and the Pro Football Writers Association.

Upon the conclusion of the Ravens' 5–11 performance in 2007, the entire staff was dismissed on New Year's Eve. Ryan was one of the candidates interviewed by the Ravens for their head coaching vacancy however; the Ravens chose to name John Harbaugh as the team's new head coach. Ryan also interviewed with Miami and Atlanta about filling their head coaching vacancies however, the offers went to Tony Sparano and Mike Smith respectively.

Ryan was disappointed by his failure to obtain a head coaching job however, he agreed to return to Baltimore under the direction of Harbaugh who retained Ryan as defensive coordinator and promoted him to assistant head coach. In Ryan's final year with the team, the defense was ranked second overall in the NFL. The Ravens lost by nine points in the AFC Championship Game against the Pittsburgh Steelers thus ending Ryan's ten year tenure with the team during which the defense never ranked lower than sixth overall in the NFL.

Head coach

New York Jets

Following a late season collapse in which the New York Jets missed the playoffs after losing four of their final five games, the team fired head coach Eric Mangini. The team interviewed a host of candidates however, the contract, which was valued at approximately $11.5 million over the course of four years, was ultimately offered to Ryan about an hour following Baltimore's loss to the Steelers in the AFC Championship.

Accepting the offer, Ryan immediately began to carry out a platform he outlined for the franchise's future. The basic idea was to get the players away from any distractions on or off the field and have them get to know one another to build team chemistry. Thus, training camp was moved to the campus of SUNY Cortland where the team would be relatively secluded from the media and any other distractions. Ryan and general manager Mike Tannenbaum were also determined to draft a quarterback who could lead and be the face of the franchise. As a result, the team traded up to select Mark Sanchez with the fifth overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

The Jets opened their season against the Houston Texans. Ryan began his head coaching career with a 24–7 victory over the Texans after the Jets' defense shut out their opponents' offense. Houston's lone score came on a fumble return for a touchdown. The following week, the defense did not allow a touchdown against the New England Patriots in a 16–9 victory at home, marking the Jets' first home victory over New England since 2000. Ryan and the Jets went on to defeat the Tennessee Titans in week three, marking the first time the Jets opened the season at 3–0 since 2004. The victory also allowed Ryan to become the Jets' first rookie head coach to win his first three games since Al Groh in 2000. The team went on to lose six of their next seven games save for a shutout victory over the Oakland Raiders, 38–0.

The team eventually recovered and won five of their final six games despite Ryan incorrectly stating the Jets had been "mathematically" eliminated from playoff contention following a loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The Jets defeated a previously undefeated Indianapolis Colts—a game not without controversy following Jim Caldwell's decision to pull Indianapolis' starters with the Colts leading. The Colts, who already achieved a playoff berth, had little to play for aside from a perfect record. In the final game of the season, the Jets defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 37–0 at Giants Stadium, the final sporting event to be held at the venue, as Ryan's defense held Cincinnati to 72 total rushing yards, and 0 total yards passing. The victory secured New York's playoff berth as a wild card team.

New York defeated Cincinnati again the following week, this time at Paul Brown Stadium, in the AFC Wild Card playoff round. On January 17, 2010, Ryan coached the Jets in an upset over the San Diego Chargers, 17–14, on their way to the AFC Championship Game. The Jets subsequently lost to the Indianapolis Colts 30–17 after leading in the first half of the game.

As Ryan headed into his second year as the team's head coach, the club announced he had been granted a two–year contract extension. Ryan continued to exude confidence in the team writing on ESPN's Tour Bus "Soon To Be Champs" in August. His words were nearly proven correct as the Jets opened the season with the best record in the NFL at 9–2. This set the stage for a Monday night showdown with their division rival, the New England Patriots, who were also 9–2. The Monday night matchup was only the fourth since 1986 to feature two teams with at least 9–2 records. The Patriots, behind the strong performance of quarterback Tom Brady, humiliated the Jets 45–3. However, the Jets rebounded to finish 11–5 and qualify as a wild card team in the playoffs. Additionally, the franchise won eleven games, one win short of tying the franchise record set by the 1998 team led by Bill Parcells.

In the wild card round, the sixth–seeded Jets beat the AFC South champion and the third–seeded Indianapolis Colts 17–16 on January 8, 2011 on the road to qualify for the Divisional Playoffs. The following week, on January 16, despite being overwhelmingly named the underdogs, they defeated the AFC East champion and first–seeded New England Patriots 28–21, ending the Patriots' eight–game winning streak. The Jets became the first team to lose a regular season matchup by more than 35 points and then beat that same team (New England) in the playoffs during the same season. The victory made the Jets the first team to win back–to–back road playoff games in consecutive seasons, and qualified them to advance to the AFC Championship Game for the second consecutive season, where they lost on the road to the AFC North champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

Controversies

Ryan became embroiled in controversy when he flashed an obscene gesture towards heckling Dolphins fans during a Strikeforce mixed martial arts event at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida on January 30, 2010. Ryan apologized for his actions, stating that it was "stupid and inappropriate." Ryan was fined $50,000 by the Jets.

When the Jets appeared on the television series ''Hard Knocks'', Ryan was criticized, mainly by former head coach Tony Dungy, for his use of foul language. Dungy and Ryan later met in person to clear the air.

In December 2010, Deadspin reported that a series of foot-fetish videos had been discovered featuring a woman who allegedly appeared to be Ryan's wife, Michelle, while the cameraman, who was not seen on tape, allegedly was Ryan himself. Ryan did not confirm nor deny the allegations however he did state in a press conference that the issue was a personal matter.

Coaching philosophy

Ryan stresses that coaches are essentially supposed to be open and communicative with the players and management who in turn will reciprocate the same attitude.

:I want my players to know who I am, just like I want to know who they are. I want there to be that connection as people. That's valuable when it comes to figuring out how to motivate somebody. It's valuable because I want that guy to fight for me, just like I want to fight for him.

Ryan has also stressed that the teaching process is an important one particularly when it comes to feeding a player information and building chemistry. However, there has to be flexibility as the process must also be insightful and positive.

:While the entire team is my responsibility as head coach, there are times I have to hold back and let my assistant coaches coach. Even so, I've always pushed my coaches toward the teaching process. That's where I felt like I had the biggest impact. Hey, we are all good coaches and they know what they're doing, but the one thing I did want to control was the way we taught. I want it to be specific. I want it to be energetic. I wanted the players to get exactly what they need instead of the mind-numbing dump of "You know what? I'm going to throw so much shit at the players that even if it doesn't go right I can rest well at night at least to say I covered it, so it's not my fault". That's not teaching. If you emphasize everything, you've emphasized nothing.

Coaching strategy

With extensive knowledge regarding the intricacies of the defense, many have come to regard Ryan as "anti-offense." However, Ryan has developed a strategy similar to that of the defense that has come to be known as "ground and pound." Essentially, Ryan aims to develop a proficient run game citing a desire to "get after" the opponent through running the football. Ryan has also stated that passing the ball is important but should not be used incessantly as there should be a balance between both aspects of the offense.

His defensive strategy, in contrast, tends to be more elaborate taking into consideration his experience in the field. There are six different defensive formations utilized in football however the two commonly used formations are the 3-4 formation, with three defensive lineman and four linebackers, and the 4-3 formation, with four defensive lineman and three linebackers. The Jets officially utilize the former of the two popular formations however, Ryan tends to employ all six formations in varying forms. Furthermore, he often calls audibles having the defense line up in one formation and switching to another so as to cloak their intentions and confuse and pressure the opponent.

As a testament to this philosophy, Ryan is often willing to defer the coin toss to the opponent in order to open the game on defense and "set the tone," generate turnovers and "create plays" as a result of these turnovers. This method has been criticized by ESPN's John Clayton who has found the method to be ineffective league-wide.

Head coaching record

7 !2010 New York Jets season 5 !2011 New York Jets season 0 AFC East !colspan="2" !colspan="2"

rowspan="2"	Team !! rowspan="2"|Year !! colspan="5"|Regular Season !! colspan="4"|Post Season
!Won!!Lost!!Ties!!Win %!!Finish!! Won !! Lost !! Win % !! Result
2009 New York Jets season>NYJ	2009 NFL season>2009		9	|	0	.563	2nd in AFC East	2	1	.667	Indianapolis Colts in 2009–10 NFL playoffs#AFC: Indianapolis Colts 30, New York Jets 17>AFC Championship Game
NYJ||2010		11	|	0	.688	2nd in AFC East	2	1	.667	'''Lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in AFC Championship Game
NYJ||2011		0	|	0	.000
NYJ Total||	20	12	0	.625	|4||	2	.667
Total||	20	12	0	.625	|4||	2	.667

Coaching tree

NFL head coaches under whom Rex Ryan has served: !Coach

|	Team	Year(s)
Buddy Ryan	Arizona Cardinals
Brian Billick	Baltimore Ravens
John Harbaugh	Baltimore Ravens

Assistant coaches under Rex Ryan who have become NFL head coaches:

No Coaches

Personal life

Rex and his wife, Michelle, were married in 1987. Together, they have two sons, Payton and Seth. Ryan earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master's degree in physical education from Eastern Kentucky University. He currently resides in Summit, New Jersey.

Ryan publicly announced in 2009 that he had been battling dyslexia for his entire life. During his early years, Ryan was diagnosed as being "slow" however, after visiting his doctor in 2007, testing confirmed Ryan did indeed have dyslexia.

Weight loss surgery

Ryan underwent lap-band surgery at NYU Medical Center in March 2010 in an effort to battle his obesity. Ryan also had a hernia repaired during the procedure. Ryan was able to return to his home that same day to recover. Following a three-week period he had lost 40 pounds and as of May 2011, Ryan has lost 65 pounds.

Book

Ryan released ''"Play Like You Mean It"'', an autobiography and a conversational about football strategy. The book, which was published by Doubleday in the spring of 2011, was co-written by Don Yaeger, a former ''Sports Illustrated'' editor who has co-authored the autobiographies of former NFL players Walter Payton and Warren Moon.

References

Bibliography

External links

New York Jets biography

Rex Ryan at NFL.com

Category:1962 births Category:Living people Category:People from Ardmore, Oklahoma Category:Arizona Cardinals coaches Category:Baltimore Ravens coaches Category:Cincinnati Bearcats football coaches Category:Eastern Kentucky Colonels football coaches Category:Identical twins Category:Morehead State Eagles football coaches Category:National Football League head coaches Category:New York Jets head coaches Category:Oklahoma Sooners football coaches Category:People from Summit, New Jersey Category:People from Toronto

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