Deion Sanders takes Shedeur’s NFL ‘mistreatment’ personal, rejects coaching future originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Deion Sanders did not need long to explain why the NFL no longer holds any appeal for him.
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Appearing on ESPN’s First Take, the Colorado head coach was asked whether anything could convince him to make the jump to professional football. His answer was rooted in what he watched his family endure over the past year.
“What transpired with my son last year,” Sanders said, pausing before finishing, “ain’t no way in the world.”
Sanders was referring to the scrutiny surrounding Shedeur Sanders, a season that included uncertainty, criticism and constant evaluation. While much of that played out publicly, Sanders made it clear that the hardest parts happened out of sight.
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“People have no idea of what he’s truly gone through,” Sanders said. “You just seeing what’s on stage. You never see behind the curtains.”
Despite the noise, Sanders said his son emerged stronger, both personally and professionally.
“I’m proud of him,” Coach Prime said. “I’m happy for him. He’s accomplished something I didn’t do even in his first year.”
When the conversation later returned to the possibility of coaching in the NFL, Sanders left no ambiguity.
“Not whatsoever,” he said. “Ain’t no way.”
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Now entering his fourth season as the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, Sanders acknowledged the past year was difficult for more than just football reasons.
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“It was a tough year for the Sanders family,” he said. “But we didn’t falter, man. We didn’t doubt.”
Sanders emphasized that adversity never stopped their momentum.
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“We stood there and we fought,” he said. “And we [are] back.”
For Sanders, the lesson was clear. The NFL may be the highest level of the sport, but after watching his son’s journey up close, it is no longer a destination he is willing to pursue.
Some experiences change everything.
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