By Bruce Feldman Published 1 hour ago
SAN ANTONIO — Over the past two years, few figures have embodied the evolution of college football quite like Deion Sanders. As the sport has embraced the chaos of transfer portals, NIL deals, and expanded Playoffs, Sanders has stood at its forefront.
From inheriting a 1-11 Colorado program once thought beyond saving to silencing doubters, mentoring a Heisman Trophy winner, and turning Colorado into must-watch TV and a Top 25 powerhouse, Coach Prime has redefined expectations. Every step of the way, his journey has been captured by his own camera crews, highlighting a story unlike anything the sport has seen.
Yet, just moments before the kickoff of Saturday night’s Alamo Bowl against BYU, Sanders showed a side of himself we had never witnessed before.
Speechless.
Deion Sanders stood on the sideline, sunglasses on, headset draped around his neck, and head bowed, as emotions washed over him. Years of memories coaching his sons, Shilo and Shedeur, from pee-wee leagues to Jackson State and now Colorado, came flooding back. He had walked onto the field with them countless times before, but this moment felt profoundly different.
On camera, ESPN reporter Taylor McGregor gently asked what was stirring such strong emotions. The 57-year-old paused, his voice catching for a moment.
“The journey,” he said finally. “It’s been a tremendous, tumultuous journey.”
Sanders had known this moment was inevitable. The reality had begun to settle in before his sons’ last home game at Colorado, but he admitted he had tried to push the thought aside. This, however, was their true final college game together, and the weight of it was undeniable.
What made it even more emotional was that it wasn’t just about Shilo and Shedeur—it was about his other “sons” as well. Travis Hunter, the electrifying two-way player and Heisman Trophy winner, had stunned the college football world by decommitting from Florida State to follow Sanders to Jackson State. Then there was Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, the heart and soul of the Buffaloes’ defense. Silmon-Craig had been with Sanders since his days as offensive coordinator at Trinity Christian High School in Texas, where Shedeur was quarterback. Like Hunter, he also decommitted—from FAU—to stay by Sanders’ side at Jackson State.
“I got upset with Shedeur yesterday,” Sanders admitted with a grin on Friday. “I told him, ‘We’ve got 48 hours, son, and then all this is over.’”
“It’s going to be something to behold,” he continued. “I don’t know how I’m going to handle it. I know Travis is going to trigger me because he always does. He’s going to bring tears to my eyes. I don’t look forward to it, but I do, because it means they’re moving to another level, another chapter of life, and they’re going to soar. I’m thankful that I feel we’ve equipped them with all the tools necessary to be successful.”
For Sanders, it’s been impossible not to feel nostalgic. His career is the stuff of legend—one of the most electrifying players football has ever seen, a two-time Super Bowl champion, and a Pro Football Hall of Famer. He also excelled in Major League Baseball, famously hitting over .500 in a World Series for the Atlanta Braves despite playing with a broken bone in his foot. Yet, this moment feels different. This chapter, coaching his sons and building something extraordinary at Colorado, seems to strike a deeper chord.
“This is a tremendous calling that God placed in my life—to be around these kids and raise them to this level,” Sanders said on Friday. “When I think about how everything has been ordered, I’m filled with gratitude. I’m thankful that Rick George, the athletic director, gave me this opportunity. Without it, we wouldn’t have had a Heisman winner, and several others are on track to be drafted. None of this would have happened if I hadn’t answered that calling. So, I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve been given. I’m just thankful to be here. This is a blessing, and I don’t take any moment for granted.”
Sanders, who has made it clear he intends to stay at Colorado even after his sons leave, continued to open up about his feelings. He spoke about the deep connections he’s formed with players who believed in his vision and joined him on this journey at Colorado.
“We’ve had moments in my office and on the field that could bring you to tears if you really understood them,” he said. “Like with Cam Silmon, who’s been playing for me since he was a sophomore in high school.”
On Saturday night, about 30 minutes after Colorado’s 36-14 loss to BYU, it was Silmon-Craig who sat to Sanders’ right in the post-game press conference, with Shedeur to his left. Despite the tough game, Silmon-Craig’s presence highlighted the bond between him and Sanders.
Though Silmon-Craig isn’t the flashy star of the defense—that distinction belongs to Hunter—he’s a player many coaches would point to as their favorite on the team. The former two-star recruit, ranked No. 212 among safeties in the Class of 2021, made an impact far beyond his ranking.
He was the one the Colorado staff relied on to say the right words when the team needed it most, especially after their home loss to Kansas State in mid-October. With the next six weeks crucial to defining their season, Silmon-Craig stepped up, and his leadership helped propel the team to win four of the next five games, finishing with a 9-4 record.
“He’s everything you want in a college football player,” defensive coordinator Robert Livingston said, praising Silmon-Craig’s toughness and character. “He’s phenomenal.”
Silmon-Craig, who recorded six tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and an interception in Saturday’s game, smiled when asked how he’d remember his role in helping turn the Buffaloes’ program around.
“I’ll think about the work and the brotherhood we built,” Silmon-Craig said. “I love those guys in that locker room with all my heart. They mean a lot to me.”
For Shedeur Sanders, the reality that this was his last game playing for his father at Colorado, alongside their extended football family, hadn’t fully hit yet. He knows it might take a little time for that to sink in.
“I’ll be able to reflect on those moments when I’m not with them,” he said.
Still, he expressed immense pride in what they’ve accomplished in Boulder.
“It felt great representing Colorado and bringing the program back to where it once was,” he said. “I feel like we helped re-lay the foundation, and now the new players coming in will be able to build on what we’ve started.”
Saturday’s heavy loss wasn’t what anyone in the locker room, especially Deion Sanders, expected. But Sanders insisted that one tough night, even in their final game together, wouldn’t overshadow the immense progress they’ve made over the past two years.
“It won’t,” Sanders said. “That’s a wrap. It’s over. They’re moving on to the next chapter. They’re going to have tremendous careers. They’ll shake this off. They might think about it on the way home—Cam, for sure, will reflect on the plays he made and the ones he missed. But they’ll move on, relax a bit, and focus on getting ready for the combine and pro days. Cam’s got the East-West Shrine Game to prepare for too, so he’ll stay focused on that.”
When asked about his program’s impact on college football, particularly in how schools recruit, market, and present themselves, Sanders responded with a message that reflected his broader vision.
“I don’t think we focus on that at all,” he said. “We really don’t care. We’re just trying to develop these young men, win games, and make sure they’re consistent in their relationships, with their families, and in school. Trust me, we don’t think about it like that.”
His response brought to mind something he said the day before, which reflected his perspective not just as a coach but as a mentor.
“It’s unfortunate they’re moving on, but you pray you’ve poured enough into them so that when they leave, they move up,” Sanders said. “They don’t just pass by—they move on and elevate. You’ve blessed them with knowledge, support, love, and compassion during those critical moments. The most important moments aren’t even on the field. It’s the life moments when you’re there for them.”
“These are the things I deeply cherish with many of our seniors,” Sanders continued. “I can’t wait to see them soar.”
