Deion Sanders fires back at ESPN commentator with one of his best quotes to date

Coach Prime wasn't going to let Paul Finebaum off the hook for his critique of the Buffs

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

As the Colorado prepares for their 2024 season opener, Deion Sanders has the sports world on fire. This time, the controversy centers around a clash with ESPN pundit Paul Finebaum, stemming from his previous comments that dismissed Colorado football as "nothing" and "irrelevant in the big picture of college football."

The exchange began when Grete Griffin, co-host of the podcast "Outta Pocket with RGIII" and wife of Robert Griffin III, asked Sanders to respond to Finebaum’s remarks. Sanders, never one to shy away from confrontation, quickly pointed out the irony of being labeled "irrelevant" while still commanding attention.

"But he’s talking about us," Sanders said. "How could we be irrelevant and you talking about me? Like every time I turn around somebody’s sending me a quote that you talking about me."

Grete Griffin then lightheartedly suggested that Finebaum might actually be a fan of Sanders, to which Sanders responded with his trademark flair, "Well, the thing about a fan, you got to understand, a fan only blows when you hot... so we must be hot."

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Sanders further speculated that Finebaum's focus on him was a calculated move to maintain relevance in an evolving media landscape. He suggested that Finebaum, aware of the changing dynamics in sports communication, might be targeting him to stay in the conversation.

"I know what he’s doing, and I’m proud of him that he is smart enough to understand that this generation, and this thought process and the way we communicate in sports is different, and he’s a dying breed," Sanders said. "So, what does he have to do to stay and keep up with this change? ‘Oh, I got to go find that big bad wolf and talk about him, so now I keep my relevancy.’"

Finebaum did not take long to respond, doubling down on his previous criticisms during an episode of ESPN’s "First Take." He dismissed Sanders' comments as "irrelevant" and took issue with Colorado’s football program for its media policies.

Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler was banned from asking Sanders questions following "a series of sustained, personal attacks." Finebaum criticized CU's approach towards Keeler, arguing that the media deserves respect and should not face selective censorship.

The ongoing feud adds another layer of intrigue as the Buffaloes head into their season opener against North Dakota State. The FCS powerhouse rolls into Boulder on Thursday night (8 p.m. ET/TV: ESPN)