Deion Sanders explains why being humble does not drive him

There’s no question that Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has been doing things his way during his coaching journey, bringing the same confidence and swagger he did from his playing days to the coaching realm.

Sanders is extremely quotable, and one of his best from his time as a player was, “They don’t pay nobody to be humble.” Bleacher Report’s Taylor Brooks revisited this quote in an interview with Sanders and asked him why being humble is not necessarily a thing that propels him.

“When I said that, that was because I was a grown dog out there on that field,” Sanders said. “Like I’m not gonna be humble about what I’ve got and the gifts that I have. I ain’t ever seen nobody open a present on Christmas and say, ‘Aw that was so sweet.’ No, ‘You see what I got? Yeah!'”

Sanders’ gifts as an athlete were undeniable, regarded as one of the best across all sports for the high level of success he achieved on the football field, the baseball diamond, and even the track as a student-athlete at Florida State. And so far, many of those gifts have translated to his coaching career, as he’s led Colorado to a 3-0 start in his first season at the helm defying the odds.

“I got a gift that I’ve opened and I’m thankful and proud of it, you don’t think I’m gon shout and rejoice and do my thing because of this God has given me? No. That’s what I meant by that, I’ve got a tremendous gift and I know it and I’ve perfected it by hard work, focus, and dedication,” Sanders said.

His personality and ability to attract the spotlight does not sit well with everyone, as he’s changing the norm of what a collegiate head football coach can be right in front of our eyes. But ‘Coach Prime’ doesn’t plan on cutting back on his confidence any time soon despite how it may make others feel.

“There lies the quote don’t allow my confidence to offend your insecurity, there lies the quote. That’s where that quote derived from. I ain’t got nothing to do with whatever you’re going through, because I’m gon be me,” Sanders said. “And I’m mandated to be me, I’m pleasing God not man.”

From his playing career to his first collegiate coaching job at Jackson State, and now at his current one in Boulder, Sanders has always had a vision. As a man of faith feels that he’s fulfilling his purpose, and while the way in which he does it can be polarizing, there’s not denying his results at this stage in his career.

“Now if I’m pleasing God and God is happy and you tripping, that’s a problem with you, that ain’t me. Because all I want to hear God say well done my faithful servant, and I’ve heard him say that a multiplicity of times. So you got a problem, that ain’t on me, that’s on you,” Sanders concluded.