Deion Sanders has never been shy about voicing his opinion, especially when it comes to his children. But in a video that resurfaced this week, the Colorado head coach may have revealed a bit more than he intended.
Back in March, during the ProMat Conference in Chicago, Deion was asked where he hoped his son, Shedeur Sanders, would land in the 2025 NFL Draft.
His response: “Let’s hope it’s New York.”
That clip made the rounds again this week, adding more fuel to one of the biggest storylines of the draft cycle.
This kind of comment doesn’t exist in a vacuum, either. On Monday, NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter went viral for his remarks regarding how the Sanders camp handled the draft process.
Carter didn’t mince words—he said Shedeur and his family “overplayed their hand,” pointing to skipped interviews, no combine appearance, and clear attempts to steer Shedeur to specific teams.
And now, here comes Deion, on record wishing his son would land with the New York Giants. While the comment was made weeks before the draft, its resurfacing now only reinforces the perception that the Sanders family tried to control the narrative.
Deion has since denied making the comment in a now-deleted Instagram post, calling it “a lie,” but the video—and the narrative—had already been built.
According to reports, Shedeur even tanked interviews with teams he didn’t want to play for. That’s not just a bold strategy; it’s one that blew up in his face.
After spending months being projected as a first-round lock, Sanders slid to Day 3, going about 142 picks later than he expected.
To be fair, Deion’s desire to look out for his son is totally understandable. What parent wouldn’t want to control the environment their kid lands in?
But the NFL doesn’t play by those rules. Front offices aren’t going to be told who they can and can’t draft, especially not by a college coach, even if that coach has a gold jacket.
And that’s really the heart of the issue.
Shedeur’s talent isn’t in question. He’s a prolific and productive passer with a high ceiling and an NFL frame. But the way this process was handled signals a major issue with entitlement.
And in a league where you’ve got to earn everything, that’s a tough label to shake.
Now, Shedeur heads to Cleveland with a chip on his shoulder and a lot to prove. He’s got the arm. He’s got the game. But if he’s going to succeed in the NFL, the next chapter needs to be about football—not family strategy.
