Deion Sanders’ visibly stiff hand has sparked curiosity among fans. The injury, which dates back to his days with the Dallas Cowboys, has even become a lighthearted debate within his family.
His son, Shilo, threw a playful banter at it during a post-game celebration. Apparently, Shilo dared his dad to a paper-rock-scissors game, thinking that he wouldn’t win due to his fingers’ condition. To his dismay, Prime Time won.
Still, fans are concerned with what really happened to the legend’s fingers now that they still look stiff.
What Happened to Deion Sanders’ Fingers?
What really happened dates back to when Coach Prime was active in the MLB and the NFL. Interestingly, the accident took place during a practice with his long-time friend, Mike Zimmer.
Recalling that event one day, Zimmer said he and Sanders decided to hit the training grounds for some football practice on one of their busy days. Deion Sanders was catching punts, then when he came back and took off his glove, Zimmer was quite blown away by what he saw!
Sanders’ ring finger had dislocated. Despite the pain, Sanders kept his cool, which really baffled Zimmer.
“You got to pull my finger,” asked Sanders. But Zimmer was completely shocked. He replied, “I ain’t touching that thing!” Even when explaining it on one of Deion’s vlogs via Well Off Media, Zimmer was still baffled, especially when he thought of it, sending Sanders into fits of laughter.
Laughing at the memory of it, Sanders said, “He was panicking, he was sweating.”
But despite the reluctance, Zimmer went ahead and popped the finger back into place later.
Can His Hands Ever Be Normal?
Deion Sanders’ hands are unlikely to be normal. In his recent videos, Sanders’ fingers still seem stiff, indicating a permanent limitation.
Plus, he didn’t seek medical intervention. Rather, he managed pain and limitation through adaptation after having Zimmer pop the finger back into place.
Although he might try to get them back to normal, the damage seems irreversible due to age, the nature of the treatment, and severity.
Football Players Often Mess Up Their Hands While Playing
Catching the punt and putting up with pressure on the field has gotten many players into trouble with their hands. In fact, the majority of them have gone through a similar situation to Deion Sanders’ and had their fingers broken.
Like Tom Brady has one finger on his throwing hand that doesn’t function properly. He even got 12 stitches under his thumb once.
During a season finale defeat to the New York Giants, the Eagles’ QB, Jalen Hurts, dislocated his middle finger. This followed a hand-to-hand clash with the linebacker Bobby Okereke. He had to receive medical assistance, but he returned to the game after taping his finger up.
In a similar case, Joey Bosa, defensive end of the Los Angeles Chargers, played through a dislocated finger during his rookie season in 2016. Eventually, he underwent surgery in 2018, with a recovery window of approximately 6 weeks.
Similarly, Terrell Owens broke his finger in the 2006 season. In a hurry to get back into action, he had a plate screwed into his finger. He later injured a tendon in the same finger and skipped surgery until after the season, risking permanent damage. He underwent two surgeries in the off-season to fix his right ring finger.
Risks are inevitable on the field. It takes passion and resilience to keep the fire burning after such accidents. Players like Sanders have proved that they are willing to keep going despite hurdles like dislocations after games or during practice, revealing their true passion for the sport.
Also Read: What Happened To Deion Sanders’ Toes?