Former NFL star Deion Sanders is in the news yet again. However, this time its all about football! NFL enthusiasts should be quite pleased to know that the former Dallas Cowboy has announced that he “will suit up in Hawaii” for the 2014 NFL Pro Bowl.

Sanders, who is now an analyst for the NFL Network, hasn’t hit the gridiron to play a professional game since 2005. So, it should be quite intriguing to see how the 2-time Super Bowl champion performs. Shouldn’t it?

According to the Sports Xchange, NFL officials are incorporating a new format for the Pro Bowl. Sanders and fellow NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice have been assigned as the designated team captains for the AFC and NFC teams.

On Jan. 22, Sanders and Rice will start the two-day draft, during which time they will select players for both teams from the official NFL Pro Bowl roster. The big game will take place on Saturday, Jan. 26 in Honolulu.

Yesterday, Sanders took to Twitter to make his big announcement to fans. However, it wouldn’t be Deion “Primetime” Sanders if he stopped with just one tweet. Of course, he had to engage in a little pre-game trash talk to heighten the anticipation for the big day. However, it was no surprise that he went straight for Rice!

Sanders tweeted, “Ladies and Gentlemen I am officially announcing “I WILL SUIT UP IN HAWAII” Please let @JerryRice know that a real captain leads by example!” Rice replied, “Deion I would beat you down like the old days! We can suit up but it would be very painful for you!” This type of declaration should mean they’re actually playing in the game right? Not so sure.

Although Sanders made his grandiose announcement, there’s still the burning question of, “Will he actually play?” According to ESPN, ProFootballTalk.com reported that a league representative said that Sanders won’t be playing, as he and Rice will spend the week preparing their teams. So, Sanders’ playing status is still quite unclear.

But, nevertheless, the Pro Bowl should be quite interesting this year. Since its been a declining event among fans for the past couple years, incorporating Sanders and Rice may raise the ratings. Truth be told, the speculation definitely raises anticipation and awareness. But, fans will just have to wait to see who will really face off on the gridiron.

Image via Wikimedia Commons