Colorado coach Deion Sanders offered his reaction Tuesday to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ decision to cut his son Shilo.
Sanders was asked about the Buccaneers’ decision to release his son at the end of the team’s preseason schedule. Sanders did not have any issues with the decision, and made it very clear that his children would not be defined by whether or not their football careers are successful.
“I’m proud of my kids, all of them. I’ve prepared my kids for any and everything that can possibly happen in life and in sports,” Sanders said. “That’s part of fathering. That’s part of parenting. That’s part of having a relationship. He is, mentally, where he needs to be, and physically where he needs to be.
“We’re praying that he gets another opportunity to go with a team, but if he doesn’t, the plans have already been put forward for what he’s going to do next. Shilo’s a man of many talents. He’s going to be straight. All of the Sanders are going to be straight, with or without football.”
Deion reacts to his son Shilo Sanders getting cut from the Buccaneers 🏈
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 26, 2025
"All of the Sanders' are gonna be straight, with or without football."
(via @CUBuffsFootball) pic.twitter.com/ga2S7jFhqa
The good news for Shilo is that his football career probably is not over. He made a good enough impression that he might land back with the Buccaneers. Even if that does not happen, he could have the chance to play in the CFL instead.
No doubt Sanders was prepared for the possibility of Shilo not making a team out of training camp. The defensive back went undrafted and had to fight for a spot in training camp. As high as Sanders’ standards are for his son, he is clearly at peace with however Shilo’s NFL career works out.
