Saturday’s Alamo Bowl matchup between the Colorado Buffaloes and BYU Cougars marks the final collegiate game of both Shedeur and Shilo Sanders. And as you may expect, there were plenty of emotions flying from the Colorado sidelines before the game as a result.
Deion Sanders has always worn his emotions on his sleeve as both a player and coach. So naturally, when he was asked to detail how he was feeling ahead of the final collegiate game of both Shedeur and Shilo Sanders, Coach Prime fought back tears detailing how much he appreciated the journey with his sons.
“Coach, you just took the final walk with your sons,” said ESPN sideline reporter Taylor McGregor. “I can see you are getting emotional. What brings up the emotions.”
“The journey,” replied Sanders. “The journey. The tremendous, tumultuous journey. I’m sorry, this is tough. This is tough.”
McGregor then tried to phrase her question in another way to perhaps make it easier for Sanders to answer, as he was clearly struggling to get through the interview.
“You told us yesterday that you can envision the journey,” said McGregor. “What are the things you are envisioning right now?”
“I’m seeing when they first put on uniforms,” added Sanders. “You know, when they first started. When I first started coaching them. The good, the bad, the indifference. The ups and downs. Just the journey, it has been a heck of a journey. And I’m thankful and appreciative. I thank God for it. I gotta get it together. I gotta coach, I gotta get it together.”
Deion Sanders was full of emotion after taking the final walk with his sons, Shedeur and Shilo ❤️ pic.twitter.com/PJchjwDKyh
— ESPN (@espn) December 29, 2024
Credit to Taylor McGregor for getting anything out of Deion Sanders, who was perhaps as emotional as any football fan has ever seen him in an interview before given the circumstances with the looming end of Shedeur and Shilo’s collegiate careers.
Sanders has been picked apart for his standoffish and somewhat abrasive stance towards the media during his time at Colorado. But it has always been incredibly evident that he is as supportive as it gets of his sons’ football careers.
Despite a constant stream of rumors that Sanders may have an interest in taking an NFL coaching job with either the Dallas Cowboys or with whatever team happens to select Shedeur in the 2025 NFL Draft, this kind of emotion-filled pregame interview may be an indicator that Sanders’ time with his sons as a coach may truly be coming to an end.
Only time will tell what is in store for the future of the Sanders family. But for the time being, Deion Sanders is seemingly living in the moment to usher his sons out on the right foot with a win over BYU.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.