Right before Colorado’s fall camp got underway, Coach Prime made a quick trip to Cleveland last week. While the visit generated headlines because of his appearance at Browns training camp, Deion Sanders said the trip was much more personal. After missing the opportunity a year ago while battling cancer, it was important for the Colorado head coach to spend time with his son, Shedeur Sanders, before both began another football season.
Speaking with Phillip Dukes on The CFB Scoop, Sanders revealed he had actually planned to visit Shedeur during Browns training camp last summer before his son convinced him to return to Boulder instead.
“I wanted to check on my sons before I go into work,” Sanders said. “I was on my way to go see Shedeur and he said, ‘No, dog. Don’t do that. I’m good.’ I said, ‘No, I got to see you.’ He said, ‘No, dog.’ So I diverted the flight and went straight back to Boulder.”
At the time, Sanders was in the middle of a difficult battle with bladder cancer. He said he was still recovering physically and wasn’t himself.
“I had just had a tremendous battle with cancer and I was still fighting,” Sanders said. “I was probably 10 to 12 pounds down and wasn’t myself yet.”
A year later, the circumstances were completely different.
“I get a text early in the week of the whole practice schedule so I could pick a day,” Sanders said. “That means I’m good. It ain’t no, ‘Come on this day, come on that day.’ That’s my son’s language of, ‘I want to see you, Dad.’ It ain’t going to be, ‘Dad, are you coming?’ My boys ain’t going to do that.”
Sanders spent time with Browns head coach Todd Monken, met with general manager Andrew Berry and caught up with members of the organization who have developed a strong relationship with Colorado’s football program.
Most importantly, he got to see Shedeur in an environment where his son looked comfortable and confident.
“He’s happy,” Sanders said. “My son is back to his old self. He’s back popping it a little bit. He’s back happy. He’s working his butt off. He’s doing what he does. He’s out there before practice, staying after practice. That’s who he is.”
Sanders also believes his son’s growth extends well beyond football.
“Spiritually, he’s at a whole another level,” Sanders said. “His wisdom and understanding of situations and who he is and what God is asking of him. He’s truly aware of his surroundings. He’s tightened up tremendously.”
The Colorado coach said the criticism surrounding Shedeur over the past year has only made seeing his son in a good place even more rewarding.
“It’s funny,” Sanders said. “Some of the things that we heard last season, we don’t hear them anymore. Where have they gone? Did we change or he changed?”
The trip also served as a reminder of how dramatically life can change in just one year. Sanders said he has undergone additional procedures since last season and now finally feels like himself again.
“People have got to hold on,” Sanders said. “It’s amazing what a year will do for you.”
Later in the interview, he reflected on finally reaching the point where he feels fully recovered.
“I had to get it right. I had to feel right first to get it right,” Sanders said. “I’ve had maybe a couple surgeries since then that nobody knows about. I’m straight now. I’ve been back for a minute.”
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