If you want to say something bad about Shedeur Sanders, prepare for the wrath of Deion Sanders.
The Colorado head coach and football legend said Wednesday he tracked down the team whose assistant coach spread rumors about Shedeur Sanders being “arrogant” and “brash” at the NFL Scouting Combine. NFL insider Josina Anderson reported March 3 that a “quarterbacks coach from a team drafting in the top 7” had spread those rumors about Sanders.
Those rumors were seen as one reason Sanders’ draft stock slipped after the combine. The quarterback addressed that draft perception a few days later, saying, “Don’t believe the media.”
In an appearance on The Skip Bayless Show, Deion Sanders talked about taking action to set the story straight.
“That was a lie,” Sanders said, of the rumors spread about his son. “You know me, I’m going to get to the bottom of it, so I called that team, because I tracked it down and I knew who it was. I called the head coach and we had a candid conversation … and he said, ‘Prime, that never happened. Matter of fact, it was a great interview. … That never happened.’
“I said, ‘Yeah, but this guy on your staff lied and said it did. So you need to check him.’ And he did check him.”
Bayless asked if Sanders detected any “racial backdrop” in those rumors, but Sanders brushed the question off. He did speculate about the QB coach, saying, “You never know when someone’s getting compensated from another agent” to spread rumors about a player to hurt his draft stock and help his own client.
“Would you want to call out that quarterback coach by name?” Bayless asked.
“No, I don’t want to call him by name, but he know I know,” Sanders said. “I never called him, I just called his head coach. That was some bulljunk. Because that was a lie. When your head coach says ‘I was in the meeting,’ that’s a lie.”
Shedeur Sanders’ draft stock has risen in the past few weeks since those rumors first surfaced. Most analysts see him going to the New York Giants at No. 3. Deion Sanders told Bayless he has no preferences.
“Tennessee needs a quarterback, Cleveland needs a quarterback, the Giants need a quarterback, the Saints need a quarterback,” Sanders said. “I can keep going. Pittsburgh needs a quarterback. There are several teams that need a quarterback. … if it’s any of those teams that are seeking a quarterback, I’m happy with it.”
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.