Few athletes in the world can thrive in multiple sports on a pro level. Former Dallas Cowboys star Deion Sanders was one of those rare ones. Longtime Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox was a key figure who helped him reach that kind of success. Without him, Sanders would not be the only athlete in the world to have played in both the Super Bowl and the World Series.

Sadly, the baseball world woke up to some tough news on Sunday. Cox had passed away on May 9, the Atlanta Braves announced on social media. Deion Sanders, having spent a long time with the veteran manager, couldn’t help but share his grief at the loss.

“A Good man, a good manager, a more than fair person, a leader, and I respected the heck out of him. God bless the family, friends & loved ones of Bobby Cox. A legend,” Deion Sanders posted on X.

Cox passed away at 84, leaving behind a remarkable legacy. His final years were marked by a courageous battle with health struggles, including seizures and bleeding ulcers, which further compromised his physical health following a 2019 stroke. Fans immediately gathered at Truist Park to pay their respects and honor a man who gave so much to Atlanta. Gestures like that should tell you what kind of human being he was, and why Sanders admired him so much.

Bobby Cox was one of the most well-known figures in baseball during the 90s and 2000s. With 14 straight division titles, six 100-win seasons, and years of sustained dominance, his impact on the Braves, the game of baseball, and everyone around him will never be forgotten. Along with the Braves, Cox also had stints with the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees. But his run with the Braves is one of the most legendary among team managers. Not only did they win the World Series in 1995, but they also consistently finished No. 1 in the NL East until 2005.

“Bobby was a favorite among all in the baseball community, especially those who played for him,” the team wrote in the post. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we send our sincerest condolences to his beloved wife, Pam, and their loving children and grandchildren.”

Cox was known as a man who never backed down in defending his players, and Sanders was one of them. Hence, even when Sanders had problems with the Braves’ management over contracts or scheduling, he always made it clear that Bobby Cox was never the issue. Many old-school baseball people didn’t like Deion Sanders and his flashy “Prime Time” style. But Bobby Cox looked past that and treated him with respect.

Although Sanders was never the reason behind his ejections, Cox’s passion still led to a record 158 ejections throughout his career. More often than not, Cox would be found right up against the faces of referees or people from rival teams, in heated arguments. But it’s needless to say that he also possessed a keen eye for transformative talent, as evidenced by Deion Sanders’ stint with the Atlanta Braves beginning in 1991. Over the course of three full seasons and 46 games of a fourth, Sanders became a fixture in the Braves’ outfield and a spark plug for their lineup.

He was a constant threat on the basepaths; while he reached base at a clip of just under 33%, his speed was his primary weapon, accounting for 75 of his 186 career stolen bases during his time in Atlanta. This partnership with Cox peaked in 1992, which stood as Sanders’ finest statistical season in MLB and saw the Braves reach the World Series. During this tenure, the Cowboys icon nearly pulled off a one-of-a-kind feat before moving on to the Cincinnati Reds in 1995, concluding a high-octane era in Atlanta baseball history.

Deion Sanders could have been the only player to have played in both leagues on the same day

On October 11, 1992, Sanders played in the Atlanta Falcons-Miami Dolphins NFL game before taking a charter flight to Pittsburgh for the Braves’ playoff game later that night. He hoped to become the first athlete to play in two professional sports on the same day. Despite having no guarantee about how physically ready he would be upon arrival, Sanders still made it to the stadium just 15 minutes before the game began.

This attempt by Sanders had made the front office angry. Many thought of it as a greedy move, too. But Cox handled it more calmly. He did not use Sanders in Atlanta’s 7 to 1 loss against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game 5 of the NLCS. He didn’t seem completely happy about it, but he understood that if there was anyone who could make it happen, it was Sanders.

“There’s never been a problem like this,” Cox had said earlier that week. “There’s never been a Deion Sanders, either.”

However, later, Sanders received a surprise start in Game 2 of the 1992 World Series. He recorded a single, drew two walks, and stole two bases. Cox later even suggested he was considering keeping Sanders in the lineup.

After going hitless in five at-bats during the Pirates series, Sanders caught fire against the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series, batting .533 with eight hits in 15 at-bats and five steals. Despite the efforts, Toronto defeated Atlanta in six games, marking the first time a team based outside the United States won the World Series.

But had Sanders and the Braves had a different day, they would have been able to etch their names on to a special kind of history. Sanders might not have played with Cox for a long time. But if he needed someone to look out for him in baseball, the late legend would be among his picks.