Deion Sanders calls out 'dumbest' misconception: 'I'm gonna leave when my kids leave'

Despite a 4-8 record in 2023, Colorado was the talk of college football. Deion Sanders brought a new energy to Boulder, fueled by high-profile transfers such as Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, and a season-opening win over TCU to start building momentum.

Year 2 of the Coach Prime Era is going to look a bit different, though. Colorado is now in the Big 12 after leaving the Pac-12 a year ago. But the Buffs are still generating conversation as they try to take a leap forward after last year’s up-and-down go.

With so much chatter around the program, there are sure to be some misconceptions about what Sanders is doing at CU. He addressed that during Big 12 Media Days and pointed out the “dumbest” he’s seen thrown around.

“Another misconception, I’m gonna leave when my kids leave,” Sanders said on SiriusXM College. “That’s the dumbest thing I ever saw in my life, like, I’m gonna follow my sons. Come on. That’s not a dad.”

Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter are both likely heading to the NFL Draft this year, and Deion has been outspoken about where they stand compared to the rest of the field. They’re two of Colorado’s top playmakers – with Hunter playing both sides of the ball – and are sure to be key pieces this season, as well.

In an early mock draft earlier this month, Sanders came in as ESPN’s No. 2 overall pick while Hunter checked in at No. 9 overall. Their draft stocks will be some of the biggest storylines to follow this season, and Deion Sanders has been in their corner saying they’re some of the best players who will be on the board.

Deion Sanders: ‘It’s never been about me’

Much of the chatter about Colorado starts with Coach Prime. Sanders came in with a hard-nosed attitude as he tried to turn the program around quickly, and his aggressiveness showed right away with his use of the transfer portal.

Sanders said one of the misconceptions he could point out, though, was that it’s about him. He argued it’s not. Instead, he said it’s about everyone else.

“No. 1, I don’t care. No. 2 is I think they think it’s about me,” Sanders said. “It’s never been about me. That’s why I’ve been going for about 30-some years now. It can’t be about you when you’re still going 30-some years later, right? It has to be about them. God blesses me because it’s always about somebody else and is always about another person. It’s not about me.

“He blesses me because we make sure it’s about the kids, it’s about the families, it’s about the mother, it’s about something else. That’s why God blesses me. I think that may be a misconception.”