Deion Sanders is going to do everything in his power to ensure his son, Shedeur Sanders, succeeds when he’s inevitably drafted into the NFL next April. And Keyshawn Johnson thinks he has every right to.
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For most parents, that would simply mean supporting their son in any way they need. But Deion Sanders isn’t like most parents. Not only is he Shedeur’s father, but he’s also his coach with the Colorado Buffaloes. Oh, and he was a pretty darn good football player himself back in the 1990s.
Sanders has said on multiple occasions that he will “step in” if the wrong team selects his son come April. He’s even discussed his general preferences for which city Shedeur will end up in, as he said that he’s eyeing someplace warm and sunny.
While many have seen this as Sanders using his influence to get his son ahead, former NFL Pro Bowler and current NFL pundit for FS1, Keyshawn Johnson, had nothing but support for Coach Prime:
“That’s good. He should [step in]. He shouldn’t surrender any, I don’t want to call it power, but advice to anyone. When he’s got all the advice, been there done that. I mean you think about it, Major League Baseball, football, clearly, post-career media, college football coach, businessman. You know, who else would you wanna talk to about the next level. You want to talk to him.”
The elder Sanders is a six-time 1st-Team All-Pro, a two-time Super Bowl winner, and a Hall of Famer. His resume is respected around the league, so he has the capacity to affect his son’s journey through the draft next spring quite significantly.
Fans are divided on Deion Sanders’ son’s NFL prospects
As they always do when it comes to Deion Sanders and his people, fans came out in droves to let everyone know how they feel about his statement. The comments ranged from nasty and negative to supportive like Keyshawn.
How many top ten teams has he beat ? Oh that's right . ZERO
— James Smith (@JamesSm17967776) November 14, 2024
What the hell he supposed to do? Nothing? SMFH 😢✌🏿
— *strom thurmond (@soupduty1) November 14, 2024
Go where you get drafted or STAY HOME.
— Don (@PADonM) November 14, 2024
https://twitter.com/alexexpress24/status/1856841062196625762
What Sanders is intending to do is not unprecedented. Eli Manning forced his way from the San Diego Chargers to the New York Giants in 2004, and John Elway did the same in 1983, going from the Baltimore Colts to the Denver Broncos.
Both players ended up winning two Super Bowls with the team that they wanted to end up with, so this tactic is not without its merits.
Sanders said he wouldn’t be providing this service just for his son, but also for Colorado‘s best player, Travis Hunter. Hunter plays both cornerback and receiver and is the favorite to both win the Heisman Trophy and go No. 1 overall in next year’s NFL draft.
“Yea, but I’m not gonna do it publicly, I’d do it privately. I’m going to be a dad until the cows come home, and with Travis as well.”
Coach Prime may be pushy—he certainly doesn’t mind pushing boundaries or ruffling feathers—but there’s one thing no one can say about him: that he doesn’t care about his players.
Sanders intends to do all he can to ensure his players succeed even after they leave his oversight in Colorado, and that should be applauded.