Shilo Sanders is no stranger to the spotlight. As the son of Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders and a high-profile college football player, he has often been a target for criticism.
However, after facing scrutiny following the East-West Shrine Bowl practices, the Colorado Buffaloes defensive back suggested that he is being unfairly portrayed-drawing a comparison to Donald Trump.
Sanders Fires Back at Critics
During Shrine Bowl practice sessions, viral clips circulated online showing Sanders struggling in coverage. The defensive back claimed these moments were selectively edited to make him look bad, similar to what he believes happens to the former U.S. President.
Following the actual game-where Sanders seemingly had a stronger performance-he took the opportunity to address his critics.
“If you just hate me or want to hate me…” Sanders began before the clip of his postgame interview suddenly cut. He continued, “…Paint me in a bad picture; they do that to our President. They do that to everybody, you know? So I’m not going to be safe from it. But it does get aggravating whenever you put in that work, and you’re working on your craft, and [there’s] people just steadily destroying you.”
Focused on His Inner Circle
Despite the backlash, Sanders made it clear that outside opinions do not define him. Instead, he prioritizes the views of his family and the coaching staff, particularly his father, Deion Sanders.
“I just care about what the scouts think. I care about what Coach Prime thinks, what my family thinks, and I got a good circle around me, so I really don’t let that stuff affect me,” he explained. “It’s just really stupid how people always try to destroy you, and I don’t do nothing bad to nobody.”
As Sanders prepares for the next stage of his football career, he remains committed to blocking out negativity and focusing on his development-regardless of how social media chooses to frame him.