Colorado head coach Deion Sanders said he got to the bottom of a false report that his son, former Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders, came off as “brash” at the NFL Scouting Combine earlier this month in Indianapolis.
At the time, NFL reporter Josina Anderson said she was “disappointed to hear that a quarterbacks coach from a team drafting in the top 7 referred to Shedeur Sanders as coming off ‘brash’ and ‘arrogant’ in his team interview and making his ᴀssessment known to a number of people.”
During Wednesday’s installment of “The Skip Bayless Show,” Deion said he called the coach of the unnamed team, who said 23-year-old Shedeur had a “great” interview.
“It didn’t anger me, but you know me, I’m gonna get to the bottom of it,” Sanders said. “So I called that team because I tracked it down. I knew who it was. I called the head coach and we had a candid conversation.
“We were really cool. He said, ‘Prime, that never happened.’ He said, ‘Matter of fact, it was great. We all walked out of there saying, ‘Damn, this kid got it.’ That never happened.
“I said, ‘Yeah, but this guy on your staff lied and said it did. So you need you check him.’ And he did check him. But it never happened.”
Sanders added that he didn’t speak to the unnamed quarterbacks coach.
“He knew I know. I never called him I just called his head coach… because that was a lie,” Sanders said.
He added, “I guess just because the last name is Sanders you gotta attack, and that don’t make sense because we’ve we’ve never attacked anybody in our lives.”
The Pro Football Hall of Famer went on to explain that Shedeur, a potential top-three pick in this year’s draft, and former Colorado star Travis Hunter, another top prospect, were under a microscope at the scouting combine.
“You never know if somebody is getting compensated from another agent to try and to down ours… How can I have the only two players [Shedeur and Travis] going into the draft that are criticized and critiqued” Sanders said.
“What about all the other guys? So my guys are the only guys that are flawed? … How is he not the only kid that we heard about not participating at the combine? Do you know how many kids didn’t participate at the combine? But you only heard about mine.”
Shedeur made waves while at the podium in Indianapolis earlier this month, and said that teams shouldn’t draft him if they don’t want a quarterback who’s going to come in and change the culture.
Many have interpreted his overly confident demeanor as cockiness.
Sanders went on to explain that many are “tired” of seeing his family win.
“Not just games, but winning at life,” Sanders said before listing his accolades on and off the field. “… [People are like] ‘OK that’s enough, because we’ve been dealing with him since [1988]. Now I gotta deal with his kids and they’re good too, they’re handsome and they’re articulate and they’re savvy. No I ain’t ready for that. So, we’re not gonna deal with him and his kids and his teams.’”
Sanders added that he’d be happy with Shedeur playing for the Giants, тιтans, Browns Raiders or Saints.
“We’re not panicking. We’re not tripping. First of all, this is a blessing, man… Shedeur has told me, he talked to me intently about all the visits he’s had with all the teams. I know where his heart is, I know where he wants to go,” Deion said.
“If it’s New York, it’s New York, if its Tennessee, if its Cleveland, if its still the Raiders, if it’s still New Orleans, if it’s any of those teams that are seeking a quarterback I’m happy with it man — because I know what he’s going to do to the organization.”
