Former NFL All-Pro Asante Samuel has some thoughts about Deion Sanders’ teaching technique for the position they both used to play.
In response to an NFL Network clip in which Sanders referred to the T-step move as “stupid,” Samuel called his comment “foolishness” because it’s “the best technique to get to the football” for a cornerback.
Sanders replied back by praising former Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews for teaching him his technique, prompting Samuel to give kudos to his college defensive coordinator Gene Chizik.
Even though Coach Prime seemed to be satisfied at that point with his response, Samuel kept going with a series of clips and replies to fan comments questioning his stance.
The T-step maneuver allows the cornerback to turn their back leg, plant the foot into the ground and drive their body at full speed to keep pace with the receiver when they come out of their break.
By comparison, the bicycle step only requires the cornerback to plant their toe into the ground without the heel touching and push off. There’s a thought that the bicycle step is more risky because it doesn’t allow the defender as much stability.
What the defender is sacrificing in stability with the bicycle step, they are in theory making up for because it’s quicker since it requires less movement than the T-step.
There’s no right or wrong answer here. It’s just what works best for the individual player. Samuel was great at doing what he did. It gave him an 11-year career in the NFL and more than one pass breakup per game (164 in 133 games).
Sanders was as good at shutting down opposing receivers as any cornerback during his playing days. He recorded 53 interceptions and returned nine for touchdowns in 188 games over 14 seasons.
