LAS VEGAS — Prime Time is in the house for his son’s starting debut.
Deion Sanders, the NFL Hall of Famer, is attending Shedeur Sanders’ first NFL start here today against the Raiders.
He contemplated coming during the week, and decided it was the right thing to do.
“You don’t want to be his distraction,” Deion said told Colorado reporters during the week. “But then you think, you know he came all the way up here to see you? So that’s even a shorter trip to go see him.
“You start thinking that as a dad.”
Shedeur surprised his dad at Colorado over the bye week earlier this month.
Last week, when Sanders replaced Gabriel in the second half of the 23-16 loss to the Ravens, Deion cried tears of joy. Sanders struggled early on, but almost pulled off the come-from-behind victory when he hit fellow rookie Gage Larvadain in the hands with the potential game-winning touchdown pass. Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie broke up the pass.
“I know the fight behind the fight,” Deion said at his weekly Tuesday news conference. “I know what’s been transpiring behind the curtains, and I’m just proud of him. Because he’s not just saying the right things, he’s doing and living the right things. That’s just who he is.
“He’s a Sanders.”
Deion, who coached Sanders from Pee Wee football through college, knows what Shedeur has been through this season, beginning with the biggest freefall in the history of the NFL draft.
“I know some stuff behind the curtain, so I offer him not just on-the-field advice, off-the-field advice, life advice, because he’s going through a lot,” Deion said. “A lot of stuff is coming at him and he’s doing a great job. Thank God that God prepared him for everything he’s dealing with. I think a lesser man would’ve crumbled. But he’s been built for this.
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