‘Prime Time’ Rerun Gets Canceled

Memo to Deion Sanders: Don’t quit your day job.

Concerned the Oakland Raiders would land the former All-Pro cornerback, five AFC teams -- Indianapolis, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, San Diego and Tennessee -- stepped in Tuesday and derailed the deal by putting in waiver claims for Sanders.

He was awarded to San Diego (8-7), the team lowest in the standings, although he almost certainly will never wear a Charger uniform. He was simply transferred from Washington’s reserve-retired list to San Diego’s. The Chiefs have the same record as the Chargers, but San Diego has priority in waiver picks because it has a weaker schedule.

According to a league source, several other teams were waiting in line to claim him if those teams had not.

Sanders, a studio analyst for CBS, has not played since the 2000 season. He made seven Pro Bowl appearances, won Super Bowls with the 49ers and Cowboys, and is widely considered one of the best defensive players in NFL history.

Officials from several teams were troubled, angered even, by the willingness of Redskin owner Daniel Snyder to essentially offer Sanders to the Raiders, who are one victory away from becoming the AFC’s top-seeded team in the playoffs despite an injury-riddled secondary.

The Redskins released Sanders on Monday, and Snyder told ESPN.com: “I have no problems with him playing for the Oakland Raiders. We don’t care. If it were the Eagles or Giants, it wouldn’t happen. All [Raider executive] Bruce Allen has to do is call me direct and it will happen. I love Bruce Allen and I love Al Davis, and I think it would be really exciting.”

A little too exciting, apparently, for the teams who could wind up facing the Raiders in the playoffs.