Deion Sanders describes joy in working with Nick Saban during Aflac commercials

It’s hard to watch college football on any given Saturday and not see Deion Sanders and Nick Saban, even if Colorado and Alabama aren’t necessarily on your television screen. The two have several popular commercials with the insurance company Aflac, which air throughout the football season and beyond on broadcasts nationwide.

Sanders recently pulled back the curtain on what it’s like filming those commercials with Saban, expressing that it’s more than just a media opportunity, but one for him to learn from one of the best to ever do it in the sport.

“Honestly this is one of the fondest times of the year when I get to shoot the commercials because I’m with Coach Saban and I just get to be a kid in the candy shop with to me the greatest college football coach that ever lived,” Sanders said.

Sanders made his collegiate coaching debut in 2020, taking over the HBCU Jackson State program at the FCS level. In his three seasons with the Tigers, he led the program to a 27–6 record, taking home two conference titles in his final two seasons where he also went undefeated in conference play.

He’s now already transformed the Colorado program upon his arrival, double their wins from the previous season quickly in two weeks and putting a new national spotlight on Boulder. But that still doesn’t stop him from taking advice from a coach who has nearly 30 years of head coaching experience and seven national championships to his name.

“And I just get to bombard him with question after question after questions until he gives me that look like alright now, it’s enough,” Sanders said. “But I look up to him that much so I love those moments on set.”

Saban has accumulated years of sage wisdom through his many years of success, and Sanders was asked which piece of advice stands out to him most from the coach many consider the greatest of all time.

“Do what you feel,” Sanders said. “That’s one thing, don’t second guess you, do what you feel. If this happens and you feel that, take care of that right now because it will linger into something else. He’s given me tremendous wisdom in that aspect.”

Saban has reached the mountain top of college football by doing what he feels and trusting his gut, and it will be intriguing over time to see how far Coach Prime can go in his career as a head coach as well.