Deion Sanders says the moves he made were based on his kids: "I ain’t no baby daddy"

Coach Prime's future at CU will look different without his children

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Deion Sanders is fiercely protective of his reputation as a father. In a recent appearance on the “Outta Pocket with RGIII” podcast, Coach Prime went on the record about his commitment to fatherhood, rejecting any notions of being a neglectful father or mere "baby daddy." For Sanders, being an exemplary father means being actively involved in his children’s lives, regardless of imperfections.

The Hall-of-Famer gets to do that with his sons in Boulder. Even with some calling it "Daddy Ball", nobody can deny the bond with his kids. Sanders shared that the core value of fatherhood is presence. "We just need you to be present. You don’t have to be perfect," he stated, highlighting that many Black men lack strong male role models for guidance.

"I’ve built my life around my kids. The moves I made was based on my babies, not me. My babies. They was based on what was good for them, so I take pride in that. I ain’t no baby daddy. I’m a father,” said Sanders

“I ain't no baby daddy, I’m a father.” Deion Sanders speaks on the lack of TV shows that show Black fathers connecting and having relationships with their sons and praises LaVar Ball and LeBron James for being present in their sons' lives.

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Reflecting on his own experiences, Sanders mentioned how he observed and emulated the strong father-son connections he saw in his community, noting the absence of such positive portrayals in media. He pointed to figures like LaVar Ball and LeBron James as examples of visible, positive Black fatherhood in sports.

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Sanders first attracted widespread attention as the head coach at Jackson State University starting in 2020, where he coached his sons, Shedeur and Shilo Sanders. His children, along with their sister Shelomi Sanders, who plays collegiate basketball, followed him to Colorado. They been the talk of the sports world as the standard of a family model.

Coach Prime and the Buffs open the 2024 football season with North Dakota State on Thursday, August 29.