Deion Sanders explains why he treats players like adults, not kids

Former NFL superstar, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has endured some criticism over the way he coaches and handles his players at the collegiate level; however, Sanders is a firm believer in the process he’s created, as he tries to mold young minds for a professional career and/or life after football. Recently, the Colorado Buffaloes head coach explained why he talks to his student-athletes like adults and not like kids.

In fact, he believes NIL provides the perfect teachable moment for some of these lessons.

“You can’t want a lot of money; you want to get paid by the professional, but you want to be treated like a child. That don’t work,” said Sanders. “If you want to be compensated like a pro, the media now they’re gonna treat you like a pro. You got kids out there working their butts off at these local restaurants, these local businesses, right just to make it through college. Then you got a kid coming in here with a luxury car that really ain’t done nothing. Then he messes around and drops a ball that is decisive in the game, and you think they’re gonna feel sorry for you? That don’t work like that.

“If you gonna be motivated by the claps, you gotta be motivated by boos. So you shouldn’t be motivated. You gotta learn how to rock steady. That’s when your staff and support staff and all the resources that we have at this wonderful university is there to take care of you, to look out for you, and to guide you and lead you in the right direction. And be corrected, not passive.”

Colorado made the move to Sanders following an abysmal 1-11 campaign last season. The former Jackson State head coach quickly got to work setting up and installing a culture he believes will be of championship caliber.

Sanders recruited multiple top-end players out of the NCAA transfer portal, including his son Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, However, the way in which he approached the Colorado players upon arrival has rubbed some the wrong way inside and outside the locker room. Adding to the turmoil was the mass exodus of players who many believe were pushed out by Sanders to overhaul the roster.

Still, Sanders blocks out the noise and wants his players to do the same.

“But we let them know, ‘hey man, there’s gonna be some ups and downs.’ But you gotta get your butt back up… So we gotta prepare these kids for life because we already said all of them ain’t going pro. So they gotta get up for life; this just ain’t about football. It just so (happens) we play football, and there’s a scoreboard up there.”

For Sanders, it is bigger than the game of football. What he’s trying to do with his players is instill lessons they can take with them beyond their days of playing college football. Sanders enjoyed a dream-like professional career, but he is fully aware that most college football players will not reach the heights he did. Most might not even enjoy a career longer than the average span in the NFL. So Sanders wants his players to be prepared for life regardless of where their journey takes them.