NEW YORK – March 7, 2023 – “Coach Prime”, Deion Sanders, the greatest cornerback in NFL history and brand-new coach of the Colorado University Buffaloes football program, joined hosts and former NFL stars Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor on “The Pivot Podcast” this week for an emotional discussion of his plans for turning the school’s gridiron fortunes around, his philosophies on life and to clarify his recent comments about recruiting players for different positions based on their backgrounds.
Sanders says he’s already cut a number of players from his new team, who went 1-11 last year without him.
“Same model we did in Jackson State. We’re going to get rid of a whole bunch of them. I just had five or six of them let go because of grades. When I get a report and they in the red, I bring them right in. We ain’t gonna do this. This is not going to happen here. It’s not like when we went to school. Most of their classes are online. How are you flunking something you get to do at home? You don’t care. If you don’t care, why should I? You can’t play for us. If you don’t want it for yourself, you sure don’t want it for me.”
When asked by Clark to clarify his recruiting philosophy, Sanders addresses his recent admission that when looking for quarterbacks, he looks for athletes with at least 3.5 GPA from dual-parent households, as well as his opinion that when it comes to defensive linemen, they should come from single-parent homes and receive “free lunch” and are trying to “rescue momma” by playing football.
“We stereotype everything. You know, I just got in trouble for being honest about stereotypes, but it’s the truth… if you look over the history of our game, and you look at the quarterbacks and look at the defensive linemen…”
Sanders goes on to address hard feelings from players and fans about his abrupt coaching departure from the historically Black Jackson State University Tigers to take the position in Boulder.
“Let’s go on the field first,” responds Sanders.
“Number one, you have to have a quarterback that can throw the darn football to win… Number two, the recruiting now is absurd. Now, people are saying they’ll go to an HBCU. Ain’t nothing wrong with an HBCU. I could do that because now there’s a navigational system that leads you from an HBCU to the NFL. Once upon a time, it was diverted. It didn’t happen. There are so many things we left behind you can glean from. I honestly believe that.”
Taylor asks Sanders what he will do if he ever hits a wall of seemingly insurmountable adversity.
“I never think about failing. I’m not a failure,” responds Sanders.
“I’ve won everywhere I’ve gone all the way back from a shorty. I’m a darn winner man. That’s what I do. My winning is not based on games. My winning is based on life. I want these kids to graduate to be fine young men. To open doors and (say) ‘Yes ma’am and no ma’am. Yes, sir and no sir.’ To be fathers. Not baby daddies. To be real men that show up on time and early. If they say they’re going to do it, they do it. I want them to raise young women with grace and class and dignity. I want them to graduate and own things. We teach so much more than just football here; it’s unbelievable. That’s why I always say if you send me a boy, I will send you back a man.”
Watch the podcast below.
