ESPN College Football analyst backtracks on beef with Deion Sanders

The intentions weren't based solely on Coach Prime but history says otherwise

Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Paul Finebaum has been at odds with Deion Sanders since coming to Colorado. The initial criticism by the ESPN host of Sanders stemmed from his belief that CU football was "irrelevant" in the national landscape, particularly in terms of conference titles and bowl game contention. His comments sparked a back-and-forth with Sanders, who didn't hesitate to fire back, claiming that Colorado was "hot" and even mocking Finebaum as a "dying breed" trying to stay relevant by talking about them.

Recently, Finebaum has been working to clarify his stance, shifting some of the attention to ESPN's Stephen A. Smith. In an interview with Matt Barrie, Finebaum stated that his main issue wasn’t with Coach Prime but with Smith defending Sanders. Additionally, Finebaum clarified that his criticism of Sanders was primarily about the coach's off-field comments rather than his performance on the field. This explanation came after Colorado’s goes deeper in Big 12 play, which will get tougher as the weeks go by.

"My biggest beef last week wasn't with Prime. It was with Stephen A. Smith defending Prime. So I can live with that," Finebaum noted. Despite this, Finebaum has stood by his earlier comments, predicting that Sanders may not have long-term success at Colorado, particularly once key players like Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter leave for the NFL. Finebaum speculated that Sanders might look for an exit strategy if the team struggles to remain competitive in future seasons.

Deion Sanders returns home with all eyes on Colorado this weekend

While the tension between Finebaum and Sanders seems to have cooled for now, it’s clear that this media drama is far from over. How Finebaum will react when Colorado inevitably faces challenges remains to be seen, but for now, he appears to be taking a step back from his harshest criticisms.

Colorado faces UFC in Orlando on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX).