Deion Sanders, Colorado Ban Questions From Denver Post Reporter Over Hostile Coverage

Karl Rasmussen | Aug 23, 2024

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders speaks to the media during the Big 12 Media Days. / Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

On Friday, the University of Colorado informed local news outlet The Denver Post that head coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes' football program would no longer be offering responses to questions from columnist Sean Keeler.

In a statement to The Denver Post, the university cited a series of "sustained, personal attacks" on the football program and its head coach as the reason behind the change.

"After a series of sustained, personal attacks on the football program and specifically Coach Prime, the CU Athletic Department in conjunction with the football program, have decided not to take questions from Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler at football-related events,” the school said in a statement.

Per The Denver Post, when asked for specific incidents of hostile coverage, CU Athletics referred to a series of nicknames Keeler previously used to describe Sanders. Included in those nicknames and phrases were "Deposition Deion," "Planet Prime," "Bruce Lee of B.S.," "the Deion Kool-Aid" and "circus."

Keeler's suspension from asking questions to Sanders is reportedly indefinite, though the university will continue to credential him for games. Keeler's ban is strictly related to football, so he'd be able to ask questions to coaches and staff from the school's other programs.

According to The Denver Post, Sanders's contract contains a clause which only requires him to meet with "mutually agreed upon media."

The move comes shortly after Keeler wrote a critical column about Sanders earlier this month, in which he criticized the coach's behavior during the team's media day.