Ever a product of the South, there are few things that Deion Sanders loves more than fishing and football. A native of Fort Myers, Florida, the esteemed NFL Hall of Famer recently made an appearance at the Progressive Bassmaster Tailgate Party to detail his passion for one of mankind’s most tried and true pass times.
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A true gamesman, Sanders explained the motivations behind his decision to take his commitment to fishing to the next level. Inspired by the hobby’s ability to help build familial bonds and create new relationships, in addition to the peace that it has been known to bring to people, he explained that,
“I remember seeing a wonderful father and son way down in this little alleyway fishing, and I thought to myself, most people are thinking ‘If he had a boat, he could do some wonderful things.’ You know what I was thinking? If I had the whole dern lake, I could do whatever I wanted to. So every piece of property I’ve ever owned… I put a lake on it, so I can enjoy that moment that my stepfather tried to give me.”
Having earned more than $33 million throughout his 14-year NFL career, it’s encouraging to know that Coach Prime invested in more than just jewelry and designer jet skis.
In detailing the origins of his appreciation for the serenity that comes with fishing, the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes credited his stepfather for introducing him to the world of fishing. Having come from humble beginnings, Sanders explained that,
“My stepfather taught me with a cane pole. The pole is hanging halfway, hitting the car behind us, and we used to go in these little lakes and these little creeks in Fort Myers, Florida, just to catch some bluegills, cheap head, and whatever would bite.”
While he may be far removed from his days of using cane poles, Sanders still frequents his personal ponds, welcoming everyone in his life to join him whenever they so choose. In fact, Sanders also admitted during the interview that he recently enjoyed an entire day of fishing with “his other son,” 2024 Heisman Trophy winner, Travis Hunter.
Travis Hunter recalls fishing with Deion Sanders
During a recent appearance on The Pivot Podcast, Colorado’s two-way sensation recalled his fishing experience with his head coach. After Sanders claimed to have outfished him, Hunter promptly set the record straight before also sharing his own passion for being outdoors.
“He never catch more fish than me. I went on his boat and caught more fish than him, then I took my own boat out… I’ve got two. That’s the first thing I purchased. I didn’t even purchase a car, I purchased a boat. That’s my peace.”
Claiming that “I could be out there all day,” Hunter, who is also a Florida native, clearly fits right in with the rest of the Sanders family. Seemingly nothing more than a couple of “good ‘ol boys from the south,” who just so happen to be good at football, both Shedeur and Hunter will be hoping to get in as much fishing time as possible before having their names called at the 2025 NFL Draft.
Once the likes of playbooks and coordinators come back into their frames of focus, the pair of Colorado prospects will have to settle for reeling in wins rather than fins.
