The Robinson family clearly knows how to produce athletes, and they have three generations to prove it. It began with ex-NFL star Jacque Robinson, who was the first player in college football history to be named the MVP in both the Rose Bowl (1982) and Orange Bowl (1985).
His son, Nate Robinson, is a three-time NBA Dunk Contest champion who defied his 5’9” height to put up a decent career for himself. Now, they have a third Robinson in Nahmier Robinson, a Redshirt sophomore wide receiver for the Memphis Tigers.
Considering his heavy sports heritage, there’s little surprise he’s got up-close monitoring from veteran NFL coach Deion Sanders. A video making the rounds online shows a heartwarming exchange between the two as Deion asks keenly about the youngster’s welfare amid a family medical crisis.
Shedeur Sanders Checked on Nahmier During Family Medical Crisis Involving His NBA Legend-Dad
Deion Sanders Mourn the Loss of QB Dominiq Ponder as Spring Practice Begins
Deion Sanders Mourn the Loss of QB Dominiq Ponder as Spring Practice Begins
(Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images)
Nate had previously shown public excitement that his son’s head coach is his “favorite player ever.” He disclosed that Prime was his role model while he played football and that he was inspired to wear the number “2”.
Somehow, that love didn’t go unrequited. The ex-NBA guard first learned about 20 years ago, while he played for the New York Knicks, that his kidneys weren’t functioning properly, and he’d one day need a transplant.
His kidneys began failing in 2021, and it’d take three years of secret management before he publicly called for a donor. Among multiple volunteers, the hospital eventually found a matching donor who successfully donated a kidney to Nate last year.
Family, friends, and acquaintances rallied around Nate during this trying period. One such support came indirectly through Sanders.
HEARTWARMING: When Colorado HC Deion Sanders called CB Nahmier Robinson & checked in to see how he’s doing.
Nahmier’s father, #NBA legend Nate, was going through a serious medical situation & the entire family was struggling.
Coach Prime is the best ❤️pic.twitter.com/MKikMVNfLC
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) March 14, 2026
Sharing a video about the heartfelt moment between Sanders and Robinson, a social media account posted:
“HEARTWARMING: When Colorado HC Deion Sanders called CB Nahmier Robinson & checked in to see how he’s doing.
Nahmier’s father, #NBA legend Nate, was going through a serious medical situation & the entire family was struggling.
Coach Prime is the best ❤️”
Now in his sophomore year, Nahmier would be looking to get as much support as possible from Sanders and other coaches to become a better athlete. That said, this emotional footage between Sanders and Nahmier undoubtedly shows a practical and humane side of the coach-player relationship.