“‘He Doesn’t Want It’ — Deion Sanders’ Ice-Cold Reaction to Son’s NFL Debut Sends Shockwaves Through League, Fuels Theories of Hidden Family Rift, and Sparks Nationwide Debate on Harsh Hall of Fame Parenting”
Much of the talk over the 2025 NFL offseason has been about Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
But another son of NFL legend Deion has flown completely under the radar, until now.
Deion Sanders has seen two of his sons enter the NFL in 2025
While his younger brother and fellow Colorado Buffaloes teammate Shedeur had to wait until the fifth round to begin his pro career in the 2025 NFL Draft, Shilo wouldn’t hear his name called at all.
Having gone undrafted, it wasn’t long before the 25-year-old safety was picked up and given an opportunity to play in the NFL by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In Saturday’s preseason clash against the Tennessee Titans at Raymond James Stadium, Shilo made the most of the reps he got on the field, and fired some warning shots to the rest of the league that he deserves to be in the NFL.
Playing the third-most defensive snaps on the Bucs (37 total), including 23 coverage snaps, Shilo registered zero receptions allowed, one tackle and one quarterback hit.
The latter was arguably one of the cleanest hits seen so far in the preseason, with Brandon Allen the victim.
Despite an impressive display by the rookie, when asked by ESPN’s Jenna Laine whether he was going to give his game-worn jersey to his Hall of Fame father, Shilo revealed that he had already been told that it wasn’t wanted.
“He didn’t want it,” Sanders said, before bursting into laughter. “He’s a Hall of Famer. He expects 30 times more. I’m gonna give it to my mom though.”
During his 14-year NFL career, Deion, who revealed that he had beaten cancer in July, became one of the greatest cornerbacks the league may have ever seen.
In 188 games, he recorded 53 interceptions, returning them for a total of 1,331 yards, along with 512 combined tackles, 10 forced fumbles and 13 fumble recoveries.
When one reporter pressed Shilo on whether he wouldn’t even give it to him as a birthday gift when Deion turns 58 on Saturday, Shilo said he had to do more on the field for his father to want his jersey.
Shilo had a strong debut outing for the Bucs in their preseason clash against the Titans
Shilo revealed that his father, Deion, didn’t want his game-worn debut jersey
Shilo was everywhere on the field for the Bucs defense
“No, he don’t want it,” Sanders added. “I’ve got to get like three picks or something first.”
Later, being asked how it felt to finally realize his dream of stepping onto an NFL field, Shilo praised the Most High for putting him in the position to be there, before sending a stern warning to his next opponents – the new-look Pittsburgh Steelers.
“It felt good,” Sanders said. “I thank God for putting me in a position to even be on the field.”
“I left some big hits on the table, so next game will most likely be improvement on my angles, on my tracking, because you don’t really get to work on those in NFL practice or you’re going to get kicked out of practice.”
It was a great showing for both Sanders brothers in the opening weekend of 2025 preseason, with Shedeur letting his on-field play answer the critics who have been overbearing at times this season.
In his encounter against the Carolina Panthers, the 23-year-old threw for 138 passing yards, added another 19 yards on the ground, and had two touchdowns, helping the Browns cruise to a 30-10 victory.
Shilo Sanders roasts brother Shedeur Sanders over speeding offences as Browns warned to ‘pump brakes’ on rookie QB
Shilo – who used almost half of his rookie salary to purchase Apple watches for his former Colorado teammates – was asked about what he made of his younger brother’s NFL debut.There, he highlighted some similarities in how they each approached their individual roles in their respective games, and in true Sanders family fashion, acknowledged that mistakes were made, but will give them both something to improve upon.
“I think he said the same as me,” Sanders said of his younger brother. “[He] done some good things, messed up a few times, but it is what it is.
“I think we played some similar games. Once he got a little comfortable, he started doing his thing, same with me.”
