Shilo Sanders Creates Major Headache For Colorado Football Before Week 1 Matchup

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Deion Sanders subpoenaed to testify in Shilo's bankruptcy case.


Deion Sanders could be pulled away from game prep before Colorado’s season opening matchup with Georgia Tech. He has reportedly been subpoenaed to testify in his son’s bankruptcy case.

Shilo Sanders’ battle with John Darjean continues to be sorted out. Trial is scheduled for August 31. The Buffs take the field on September 3.

USA Today says Coach Prime is being called upon to testify. It was discussed at a pretrial conference earlier this week.

Whether or not he’s forced to honor that request remains unclear. Regardless, it creates an unexpected headache for Colorado as they look to rebound from an abysmal 2025 campaign.

Deion Sanders has been subpoenaed.

“I noticed Deion was subpoenaed,” Judge Romero said on the conference before noting the conflict of interest. “I’m also concerned there’s a game: CU’s first game is that same week. So, I can see that coming. I am not a CU alum, or I have no ties to CU. So, I don’t care. But I’m just recognizing that is a potential issue.”

Shilo Sanders was 15 years old when he allegedly assaulted John Darjean, who was working as a security guard at Sanders’ school in Dallas. Darjean claims he was left with permanent injuries.

Darjean sued Shilo Sanders in 2016. When the case went to trial in 2022, Sanders didn’t show up in court despite claiming he acted in self-defense. Therefore, Darjean won the lawsuit by default judgment and Sanders has owed him $11.89 million ever since.

To skirt financial punishment, Sanders filed for bankruptcy in October of 2023. Now, a trial will be held to determine whether or not the $11.89 million debt is erased.

The timing couldn’t be worse for Colorado football.

The Buffs open that same week vs. Georgia Tech.

Deion Sanders has been subpoenaed to help the court decide if his son truly acted in self-defense. If so, the debt should be wiped. At nearly $12 million, it’s not an insignificant number. Coach Prime will want to support Shilo.

With that said, he could opt to fight the subpoena due to the season opener, which is scheduled three days later.

It’s not clear if Deion Sanders was officially served the subpoena to testify yet at the request of the plaintiff’s attorney in the case. There’s no record of it on the court docket. It’s also not clear if he will try to quash it or how he will resolve the scheduling conflict.

-USA Today

Colorado went 3-9 last year, leading to criticism of the head coach. Sanders was unable to fill the voids left by Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. He will look to rebound, starting with a major statement against Georgia Tech.

Deion Sanders was tied to his son’s case legally up through 2019. His name was later dropped to leave Shilo Sanders as the lone defendant. Still, Prime has been helping fund the legal battle, which is now going on a decade.

There hopes to be some resolution soon. The process may take Deion Sanders away from his team days before the first game. It’s a distraction the Buffs probably didn’t see coming this offseason.