Deion Sanders’ Colorado Bans Columnist from Asking Questions over ‘Personal Attacks’
Paul KasabianFeatured Columnist IIAugust 23, 2024
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Members of the Colorado football program, including head coach Deion Sanders, will no longer take questions from a Denver Post reporter, citing “a series of sustained, personal attacks.”
“After a series of sustained, personal attacks on the football program and specifically Coach Prime, the CU Athletic Department in conjunction with the football program, have decided not to take questions from Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler at football-related events,” a statement read, per Matt Schubert of the Denver Post.
Sanders and Keeler had an exchange during CU’s Aug. 9 media day, in which the coach expressed his feelings, per David Ubben of The Athletic.
“You don’t like us, man. Why do you do this to yourself?” Sanders said. “Why do you do this, though? No, I’m serious. Why do you do this? It would be hard for me to really engage with or someone or something I really don’t like. I’m just asking why? What did I do?”
Per the Denver Post, Keeler will still be credentialed for all football events, and he can ask questions regarding other CU sports. The indefinite ban is simply related to him asking questions.
Per the Athletic, there is a clause in Sanders’ contract whereas he speak with only “mutually agreed upon media.”
This is not the first time a reporter covering a Sanders-coached team has faced a ban, per the Denver Post, which referenced a time it happened when he led Jackson State.
“In July of 2021, a reporter from the Jackson Clarion-Ledger was barred from reporting on the Jackson State football team at the Southwestern Athletic Conference Media Day — a day after that reporter wrote a story detailing a domestic violence charge against one of the team’s top recruits.”
Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who also played nine MLB seasons, is entering his second season leading Colorado, which begins its season Aug. 29 against North Dakota State.
