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Colorado's Deion Sanders: 'I do not plan on following my kids to the NFL'

The Buffaloes went 4-8 in Sanders' first season as head coach

BOULDER, COLORADO - APRIL 27: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes watches as his team plays their spring game at Folsom Field on April 27, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado.  (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Colorado went 4-8 in Deion Sanders' first season in Boulder. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Deion Sanders is not planning to leave Colorado anytime soon.

Sanders was asked after Colorado’s spring game on Saturday if he had thoughts on leaving Boulder after his sons, Shedeur and Shilo, are no longer with the team. Shedeur is a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Shilo is entering his final season of eligibility.

When asked in his postgame news conference about what he tells recruits and their families about his future with the Buffaloes, Sanders said he wasn’t following his sons to the pros after the 2024 season.

“I tell them the the truth,” Sanders said. “I tell them I’m a father, not a baby daddy. I don’t follow my kids. I pave roads for my kids. I build the generational wealth for my kids. I lead my kids. I don’t follow my kids. So I do not plan on following my kids to the NFL, but I’m thankful, I’m glad that you already pretty much put them in the NFL. That means you believe in them wholeheartedly.

“But I’m not that kind of father. I have work to do here. I absolutely love it here … I”m serious, I absolutely love it here. I do.”

Sanders is entering his second season at Colorado and thoughts of him leaving for another job seem incredibly premature barring a big improvement in 2024. Colorado had a 4-8 record in Sanders’ first season after starting 3-0. The Buffs went 1-8 in the Pac-12 — their only win came against Arizona State.

Just like it was before Sanders’ first season started, roster turnover has been the biggest offseason theme at Colorado in 2024. The Buffaloes have lost over 30 players to the transfer portal — including every running back that got significant playing time in 2023 — and have also added players at a similar rate. Colorado’s biggest offseason priority has been upgrading the offensive line, as Shedeur was sacked over 50 times in 2023.

There are few gimmes on Colorado’s schedule this fall too. The Buffaloes open the season against FCS powerhouse North Dakota State before visiting Nebraska and Colorado State ahead of their first season back in the Big 12. Seven of Colorado’s nine Big 12 opponents went to bowl games in 2023.