Deion Sanders: There Are ‘Couple of Teams’ I Won’t Allow Shedeur to Play for in NFL

Paul KasabianFeatured Columnist IIJanuary 10, 2025

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Colorado head coach Deion Sanders said on the Tamron Hall Show during a Friday appearance that there are a couple NFL teams he will not allow his son, ex-Buffaloes star quarterback Shedeur Sanders, to play for (h/t Brent Schrotenboer of USA Today).

To set up the remark, Hall asked Sanders this question: “Have you told him privately who you would like for him to play for?”

Sanders then replied: “It’s not like that. It’s not like who I would like for him to play for. It’s a couple of teams that I won’t allow him to play for. So it’s not like that. But this is my profession. I know what’s behind the curtain. We ain’t got to get back there for me to understand what’s behind the curtain and what’s not prominent for my son. I’m not doing it.”

Hall then responded: “And if he doesn’t listen to you?”

“Who?” Sanders replied as the studio audience laughed. “Who? No, you must mean (NFL team) owners, not my son.”

Sanders did not mention which specific teams he doesn’t want his son to play for.

Three-plus months still remain before the NFL draft begins on April 24 in Green Bay, but at this juncture, Sanders could very well be the No. 1 overall pick or close to it.

Fathers have warded their superstar son draft prospects away from undesirable teams before.

In 1983, Jack Elway told the Baltimore Colts that his son, John Elway, would not play for them. The Colts drafted Elway anyway and eventually traded him to the Denver Broncos.

Twenty-one years later, Archie Manning told the San Diego Chargers that his son, Eli Manning, wouldn’t play for them. Manning was eventually traded to the New York Giants on draft day.

Maybe we’ll see the same thing another 21 years later in 2025.

Sanders said on his show appearance he’ll “intervene” if necessary.

Would Sanders intervene if that team was the Cleveland Browns with the No. 2 overall pick? This is what he thought of the team in March 2018, a month before they selected Baker Mayfield at No. 1 overall.

COACH PRIME @DeionSandersI love what the @Browns have done this offseason but if im a young QB ain’t no way im going to Cleveland. I would pull a ELI MANNING If possible. #ThinkAboutthat #Truth

The Titans, Browns and New York Giants all need short- and long-term solutions at quarterback and pick first, second and third overall. It’s hard seeing Sanders (and Miami signal-caller Cam Ward) slip out the top three, whether it’s to one of these teams or to another team that trades up.

The Browns might be the team to watch here, though. Simply put, Sanders wouldn’t be putting this out there if he didn’t have concerns about a team that has the chance to draft his son.

We’re still in the beginning stages of the pre-draft process, though, and the college football season isn’t even over yet for another 10 days. Ultimately, there’s a long way to go before Green Bay.