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Say what you will about Pro Football Hall of Famer and Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders. But you can’t honestly say that Sanders does not care deeply about his players. He has shown as much time and again at each of his college head coaching stops.
Sanders is deeply invested the lives and futures of each of his players. However, there are some players that, understandably, mean a little more than others. When Sanders took the field for Saturday night’s Alamo Bowl against BYU, it marked the last time that he would likely coach his sons Shedeur and Shilo Sanders unless he one day ends up coaching in the NFL. When asked about what that moment meant to him prior to the game, Sanders struggled to get the words out.
Deion Sanders was full of emotion after taking the final walk with his sons, Shedeur and Shilo ❤️ pic.twitter.com/PJchjwDKyh
— ESPN (@espn) December 29, 2024
“It’s a journey … It’s a journey, (it’s) been a tremendous, tumultuous journey, and we’re making it,” Sanders said. “I’m sorry. This is tough. This is tough.”
Sanders proceeded to tell ESPN’s sideline reporter that he was picturing the moment when he first started coaching his sons in youth football and all of the ups and downs along the way.
Shedeur Sanders is a projected top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and could well go No. 1 overall. Shilo, meanwhile, will likely have a tougher route if he hopes to make it as a pro.
But Sanders’ emotions are about much more than just his sons.
“Don’t forget Travis and don’t forget the multitude of seniors that we have,” Sanders told reporters on Friday. “We love them all to life … I know Travis is gonna trigger me because he always does. He’s gonna bring tears out of my eyes. I don’t look forward to it, but I do, because that means they’re going to another level, another chapter of life and they’re gonna soar.”
Sanders has already committed to returning to Colorado in 2025. And while he won’t have his sons alongside him in uniform, he will have a Buffs program that is in a significant better spot because of their contributions.