Deion Sanders went after On3 Sports and Shannon Terry of his own volition. The Colorado Buffaloes head coach has a personal relationship with Phillip Dukes, who recently saw his contract with one of the leading college football media sites not be renewed.
In February 2024, On3 hired Dukes as a national football recruiting host. Having previously worked for AuburnUndercover of the 247Sports network, Dukes was brought on to host a video show designed to dive deep into the high-stakes world of college football recruiting. However, just months later, Dukes found himself without a long-term role at On3.
According to Dukes, the platform (and founder Shannon Terry) cited a lack of internal support for his talents. Despite this, he praised the company for respecting his contract by agreeing to fulfill its financial terms, adding that there were no hard feelings between them.
Sanders, though, wasn’t quite as forgiving.
Dukes, for his part, expressed gratitude for Sanders’ support.
“Sometimes doors have to close in order for new paths to show themselves and open,” Dukes said. “I ain’t tripping, man; I’m really a hustler. And On3 honored my contract. I did want to make sure that was known. But Coach Prime, man, he was like, ‘Dukes, it’s time.’ He said, ‘Before you sign anything, before you do anything with anybody, I’m gonna get you ahead of the curve.’ Now, this has nothing to do with football; this has everything to do with brotherhood.”
And with Sanders looking out for Dukes, he’s in a good place in terms of his next step.
“This ain’t a shot at nobody, this is what I’m saying right now,” said Dukes. “There’s a fanbase in college football that literally just took me in immediately. So, why wouldn’t I come and develop something here with what’s shown me to be a special fanbase as I continue to build out what my next move looks like?”
His first move looks like partnering with Deion Sanders Jr.’s Well Off Media, which is where he debuted his first episode of The CU Flex. It won’t be his only venture, as Dukes alluded to having conversations with other outlets and doing multiple shows, but this appears to be his first step in life after On3.
Deion Sanders has had a prickly relationship with the media, to say the least, but he’s never hesitated to stand up for those he believes in. While his outspoken nature has sometimes put him at odds with journalists and media outlets, his support for Dukes shows someone rooted in loyalty.
And Sanders’ endorsement might be just the springboard he needs as he embarks on his next chapter in sports media.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.