Deion Sanders Opens Up About Emotions Heading Into Final Game Coaching Sons

Sanders will coach his sons for the final time during Saturday's Alamo Bowl.
Colorado football coach Deion Sanders hugs his son, Shedeur Sanders.
Colorado football coach Deion Sanders hugs his son, Shedeur Sanders. / Stephen Garcia/ / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Deion Sanders will coach his sons, Shedeur and Shilo Sanders, for the final time on Saturday when Colorado takes on BYU in the Alamo Bowl. The Alamo Bowl wraps up eight years of coaching at least one of his sons in football, as he prepares to send his boys off to the NFL.

"I've been trying to shy away from that moment," Sanders told the media on Friday. "This is it ... It's gonna be something to behold. I don’t know how I’m gonna handle it."

Along with his sons, Saturday marks the final time that Sanders will coach all of Colorado's departing seniors, as well as Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.

"Don't forget Travis and don't forget the multitude of seniors that we have," Sanders said. "We love them all to life ... I know Travis is gonna trigger me because he always does. He's gonna bring tears out of my eyes. I don't look forward to it, but I do, because that means they're going to another level, another chapter of life and they're gonna soar."

Sanders initially became the coach of his sons in 2017, when he became the offensive coordinator at their high school, Trinity Christian High School. He would become go on to coach them at Jackson State from 2021-22, and then at Colorado over the last two seasons.

Though it was rumored for a while that Sanders would leave Colorado to coach his sons at the NFL level, Sanders has remained firm that he will stay as the Buffaloes' head coach, and is 'happy' where he's at.

Together, Hunter, Sanders, and his sons have turned Colorado from a forgettable 1-11 team to one of the most exciting programs in the country. They emerged as Big 12 contenders, and are now playing in a major bowl game in just their second season with the school. Though Hunter, Shedeur, and Shilo will leave after two seasons, they have left a lasting legacy on the program. They can add to that legacy on Saturday if they manage to take down BYU in their final game together.


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Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva Geitheim is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor's in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or re-watching Gilmore Girls.