Shedeur Sanders on avoiding distractions: ‘I’m not really the forgiving type’

Following a slow start on Saturday, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders helped lead the Buffaloes to an impressive 48-21 win on the road against UCF in The Bounce House. Pushing the Buffaloes’ record to 4-1 on the season, 2-0 in Big 12 play, and representing their most dominant conference win since Deion Sanders took over the program.

Ever since Coach Prime joined Colorado, the team has been thrust into the spotlight in an unprecedented way. And no player has been in that spotlight more than his son, the team’s star quarterback, who’s thrived despite being surrounded by plenty of distractions. Which he credits to beginnings as an underrated and doubted player heading into his college career.

“By remembering that you was just an HBCU kid that couldn’t do it on a Power Five level. That’s really what it was,” Sanders said following Saturday’s win. “I don’t forget anything, I don’t forget what anybody ever said, and personally, I’m not one to make friends or feel like just because success is going on now, I’m gonna forgive everybody.”

Sanders was a three-star prospect out of high school ranked the No. 38 quarterback and the No. 483 overall player in the nation for the 2021 recruiting class according to the On3 Industry Ranking. Deciding to follow his father to FCS, HBCU Jackson State where he was dominant for two straight seasons. Throwing for 6,963 yards, 70 touchdowns, and helping lead the Tigers to two straight SWAC titles.

But when Sanders followed his father once again to Colorado, some believed he wouldn’t be able to translate his game to the highest level of college football. Receipts that he’s kept as he’s now regarded as one of the top quarterback prospects for the upcoming NFL Draft.

“Whatever you said at any point in time, I’m not really a forgiving type,” Sanders explained. “So that’s how I am. Dad’s older, he’s more forgiving and he always tells me to be a little bit that way.”

Sanders has a lot in common with his father, but not his forgiveness. A trait that’s clearly worked in his favor by keeping a chip on his shoulder even after leading the Buffaloes to their best start to a season since 2020.

“I just don’t pay attention to really the cameras and everything, because all that stuff’s there, but I always remember I was just the HBCU kid that couldn’t do it at a Power Five level,” Sanders concluded.