Tennessee Titans Kevin Byard claps back at Deion Sanders
Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard has clapped back at NFL Hall of Famer, Deion Sanders.
Kevin Byard is staying silent no more, as the Tennessee Titans safety has made his first comments about Hall of Famer Deion Sanders since signing his five-year, $70.5 million deal.
Byard was asked about Sanders after he reported to training camp last week, but it was clear the safety wasn’t interested in talking about the subject, as he didn’t really go into detail.
First, before we get to Byard’s comments, a little recap of the backstory.
Sanders and Byard were embroiled in a feud back in 2018, when Sanders thought Byard was a fan and didn’t know he was actually a Pro Bowl, First-Team All-Pro safety.
You're looking at who writers tell u who's the best I know who players and former players feel is the best. I rest my case. You continue to be a fan and i will continue being the man. #Truth https://t.co/gnpwJHjxEK
— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) March 20, 2018
So much for Sanders being a student of the game, huh?
After Byard signed his deal last week, Sanders was promptly roasted by Twitter for his embarrassing lack of knowledge about the best safety in the NFL after his March 2018 tweet.
Sanders came out with a childish tweet the morning after Byard’s extension was announced that not only insulted the Titans, but also had a hint of a charge of racism in it.
@Titans i never thought I'd see the day where u boast about another BLACKMAN being paid! GOD IS GOOD! AMEN AMEN & AMEN!
— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) July 25, 2019
In short, Sanders’ tweet did nothing to apologize to Byard, and instead it showed Sanders was intent on doubling down on the stupid that started this whole thing, as we wrote about.
In a fantastic piece done by Bleacher Report’s Tyler Dunne, Byard said Sanders should now know who he is, and he hopes to get to talk to Sanders in Canton one day.
"“I know he knows who I am now,” says Byard. “I’m going to get that gold jacket, and I may have some words for him then.“We’ll talk about it in Canton one day.”"
While Byard is confident in his ability, he knows he can’t rest on that and he’ll continue to strive to get better than he already is.
"“I don’t ever want to get into a position where I’m sniffing myself,” Byard says, “and I think I’m great and I stop working and I feel like, Oh, I can just roll out there and do what I do. The moment you think you’ve made it, that’s when your trajectory is on the way down.”"
The Titans’ safety is not only the best at his position in the NFL, but now he’s also the highest-paid. Even with that, Byard is not going to stop because that’s the kind of player and man he truly is.
Maybe it’s time for Sanders to recognize all that, instead of burying his head in the sand.