Deion Sanders

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders seemingly sees the Miami Dolphins as a landing spot for his son, Shedeur Sanders.

Sanders hinted at the possibility of the Dolphins taking the quarterback in the 2025 NFL draft during a Sunday appearance on the Nightcap show with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson.

"What do you do business-wise if you're the Dolphins?" Sanders said around the 47-minute mark (h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). "Do you go into the draft and take a quarterback, which is what I'm saying, or do you say, 'Tua, let's check this out, let's see what we're going to do.' Is his health more important than that?"

Johnson then brought up Shedeur heading to the Dolphins before Sanders seemingly confirmed the message.

"So you just got the revelation, huh? I tried to feed you the revelation," he said.

Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered his third diagnosed concussion in the past three seasons in Week 2, landing on injured reserve. The Dolphins have struggled in his absence, losing three consecutive games.

Shedeur has thrived under center for the Buffs this year, completing 70.1 percent of his throws for 1,630 yards and 14 touchdowns compared to just three interceptions. He's ranked as the No. 2 quarterback in the 2025 draft class on the latest big board from Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department.

However, it's hard to see the Dolphins drafting a quarterback to replace Tagovailoa. He signed a massive four-year extension worth $212.4 million prior to the season, the richest deal in franchise history.

He also might be able to return before the end of the regular season, as ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that he's "symptom-free" as he recovers from the concussion and could return as soon as Week 8.

The Buffaloes signal-caller will likely be a target for several teams in need of quarterback help in the 2025 draft, although Miami may not be one of them.

Colorado's 48-21 victory over UCF on Saturday was particularly painful for New England Patriots wide receiver Javon Baker.

Baker, a UCF alum, had to wear a Deion Sanders' Buffaloes jersey after losing a bet with teammate Isaiah Bolden, who posted the video on his Instagram Stories.

Bolden's role in this whole thing is interesting. His caption in the video reads that UCF "can't mess wit us man" and includes a laughing emoji.

The 24-year-old Bolden was coached by Sanders in college, but it was at Jackson State from 2020 to '22. He was a seventh-round draft pick by the Patriots in 2023, so he never actually go to play for Coach Prime at Colorado.

New England's official roster doesn't list any of its players as having gone to college at Colorado.

This isn't to say that Bolden is precluded from rooting for his former coach, but his allegiance to Colorado probably isn't as strong as Baker's is to UCF. The rookie wideout spent his last two college seasons playing for the Knights after transferring from Alabama.

Colorado's win was arguably its most impressive performance of the season. The Buffaloes put up a season-high 48 points and held UCF to a season-low 21 points.

Sanders' defense is only allowing 23.0 points per game this season, down from 34.8 in 2023. That improvement has helped Colorado win three straight games and match its win total from last season (four).

Former UNLV starting quarterback Matthew Sluka made waves in the college football world when he chose to redshirt the remainder of the 2024 season due to an NIL dispute.

While speaking to Shannan Sharpe and Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson on Nightcap, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders weighed in on the situation and placed the blame on Sluka's agent.

"You know who I have a problem with in this situation? I have a problem with the agent," Sanders said (1:20:40 mark). "Not the kid, the kid is being a kid, he's doing what he's taught to do because he's in there just trying to play ball. He trusted someone to handle his business, to handle his contract at the collegiate level, and they didn't. And they didn't."

Sluka started the first three games of the season before announcing his intentions to sit out and transfer at the end of the year. His father and agent both claimed that he was offered $100,000 during his recruitment but received only $3,000 from UNLV's NIL collective. UNLV said in a statement that Sluka's representatives made financial demands that the university interpreted as "a violation of NCAA pay-for-play rules, as well as Nevada state law."

Sanders added that he thinks the situation could have been avoided with better communication from Sluka's agent, but it's another example of the shifting college football landscape.

"So I don't want to hear nothing from the agent at this point, when I should've been hearing a lot from you early on, in Week 1, Week 2, before we played the last two scrimmages, something," Sanders said. "Because that's just not right, but this is where we are in college football."

As Justin Fields continues to play well for the Pittsburgh Steelers, many are wondering about the future of veteran quarterback Russell Wilson.

During an appearance on Nightcap, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders told Shannon Sharpe and Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson that he hopes to see Wilson get the chance to end his career on a high note.

"I love Russell. I just want Russ to end right," Sanders said (1:24:24 mark). "I like everybody to have a nice landing, a nice safe landing, and I just want my brother to end right because I got love for him. I just feel like he deserves one more chance, especially with the quarterbacking around the NFL right now, he deserves one more shot."

Wilson signed with the Steelers this offseason following two disastrous years with the Denver Broncos. Pittsburgh acquired Fields from the Chicago Bears, but the expectation was that Wilson would be the starting quarterback. Unfortunately for the 35-year-old, he reaggravated a calf injury late in training camp, opening the door for Fields to take over.

Fields has helped lead the Steelers to a 3-1 start. While Wilson is getting closer to returning to action, Fields has not given Pittsburgh a reason to replace him.

When asked if the Las Vegas Raiders would be a viable landing spot for Wilson, Sanders quickly shot that down without elaborating further.

"We good. Leave that alone," Sanders joked.

Hall of Famers Shannon Sharpe and Deion Sanders believe Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is in need of a change of scenery.

Sharpe and Sanders were discussing the Kansas City Chiefs' injury crisis and how it affects their three-peat bid. Nightcap co-host Chad Johnson mentioned idea of Kansas City acquiring another receiver, which prompted Sharpe to throw Hopkins' name out there.

"He's in Tennessee sick of Will Levis; that's what he's doing," Sharpe said.

Sanders added there "ain't no balls coming out of there" in reference to the Titans quarterback

It's not just that Levis is tied for the second-most interceptions (five) in the NFL through three starts. The second-year signal-caller's decision-making has been comically bad at times.

Attempting to flip the ball out of bounds while falling down resulted in a go-ahead pick-six for the Chicago Bears in Week 1.

WILL LEVIS THROWS WILD PICK-SIX 😱

THE BEARS TAKE THE LEAD

(via @NFL)

pic.twitter.com/usaoIT5hMT

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 8, 2024

A week later, Levis made an ill-advised toss backwards that led to a turnover inside the red zone.

Levis flips it backwards and its a Jets fumble recovery!

📺: #NYJvsTEN on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/nZ38jEOfOo

— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2024

The 25-year-old didn't do anything quite so egregious in the Titans' 30-14 loss to the Packers but had two interceptions and was sacked eight times.

If Levis keeps this up, calls for the team to trade Hopkins are likely to grow louder.

The five-time Pro Bowler is due to be a free agent in the offseason, so Tennessee might as well cash in on him before the Nov. 5 deadline if its playoff hopes are already extinguished.

Hopkins, 32, would probably like to compete on a winning team as well. He's not at the end of his career, but his best days are clearly behind him. The window for him to get a Super Bowl ring is getting shorter and shorter.

Nobody would blame the decorated pass-catcher if he decided to proactively press the issue and force his exit from the Titans at this rate.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders declined to box two-way star Travis Hunter into one position when pressed by former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson.

During Sunday's episode of his Nightcap show with Shannon Sharpe, Johnson told Sanders he believes Hunter is a better wide receiver than cornerback and sought the coach's opinion on the matter.

"I ain't telling ya nothing," Sanders said. "I'm treating you like a pro scout. You're gonna have to find out on your own. I know the answer."

Coach Prime made the point that Hunter has had "more opportunities" to shine as a wideout, which doesn't necessarily mean he's better there or wouldn't excel as a cornerback.

Sanders went on to say that clearly defining one position for Hunter could present a dilemma.

Fans would want to see him line up at receiver if were exclusively a defensive back. In the opposite situation, the calls for Hunter to play defense might be equally loud if a team's corner was routinely getting burned while his skills were only being utilized on offense.

The junior has remained one of the most electric talents in college football through Colorado's 4-1 start. He has 46 receptions for 561 yards and six touchdowns along with 15 tackles, two interceptions and three pass breakups.

As much as Sanders doesn't want to put a limit on his player's usage, there will probably come a time when Hunter has to chose one position over the other.

There simply isn't a modern-day precedent for somebody balancing offensive and defensive duties in the NFL for a sustained period of time.

In 1996, Sanders did a little bit of everything by lining up at cornerback, wide receiver and on special teams, but he's a clear exception. And even then, that one year was a clear outlier in his Hall of Fame career. His 475 receiving yards in 1996 accounted for more than half of his career total (784 yards).

For now, fans should enjoy Hunter's two-way exploits while they can without worrying how his game translates to the NFL.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders discussed influencing the potential NFL draft location for his son, Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

Sanders joked that he'd follow in the footsteps of prior draft situations such as Eli Manning, LaVar Ball and LeBron James during an appearance on the Nightcap show with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson (30:45 mark).

"Honestly, we've talked about it extensively," Sanders explained. "I talk to a multitude of teams at practice every day, but I want what's best for him. I want him to be happy as well. You really don't get to dictate where your son gets to go because there's a draft process, but you know us. You know how we are, we know who ain't trying to win in the NFL. You know who's consistently in the basement year after year after year. You don't want that situation for your kid or your family members. Nobody, none of them. So we know what time it is."

During the 2004 NFL draft, Eli Manning was selected by the Chargers with the No. 1 overall pick when they were formerly in San Diego. However, Manning refused to play with the team and was eventually traded to the New York Giants.

"It was my decision having talked with my agent, coaches, [general managers] and owners," Manning explained in 2021, via CBS Sports' John Breech. "Going through the draft process, I was just worried about the Chargers organization at the time. I felt it was the right decision and I had a little pull."

LaVar Ball, the father of Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball and Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball, was vocal ahead of Lonzo's transition to the NBA.

"All I said was that my boy is going to play for the Lakers, and I'm going to speak it into existence," Ball said in Feb. 2017 before his son was eventually selected by Los Angeles with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft (per ESPN).

The Lakers drafted Bronny James with a second-round pick in June after his freshman season at USC. With LeBron already on the roster, they became the first active father-son duo in NBA history.

As for Shedeur, the 22-year-old could find himself on an NFL roster in 2025 if he finishes the year strong. He's completed 70.1 percent of his throws for 1,630 yards and 14 touchdowns compared to just three interceptions through five starts.

While Deion playfully alluded to Manning and Ball, it's clear that he's been discussing future NFL destinations with his son as he progresses through his senior season.

Colorado's third straight win earned the attention of the voters from the Associated Press Poll.

The Buffs earned one vote in Sunday's Week 6 poll, though they remained unranked, following Saturday's 48-21 blowout over UCF. It was the first time since the Week 2 poll that Colorado received any votes. The team has not cracked the top-25 this season, though it is certainly tending in the right direction.

Travis Hunter’s 23 yard TD 🏃@TravisHunterJr x #GoBuffs

📺: @CFBONFOX pic.twitter.com/cAvU63gUgB

— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 28, 2024

Shedeur Sanders DART to Will Sheppard for a 47 yard TD 🎯@ShedeurSanders x @WillShep20

📺: @CFBONFOX pic.twitter.com/Kp7z5re6hV

— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 28, 2024

Colorado now has a pair of Big 12 wins and is tied with BYU and Texas Tech atop the conference. Those two victories couldn't have been more different for the Buffs—the team needed a final play Hail Mary just to force overtime against the Bears before blowing out UCF despite coming into the contest as double-digit underdogs.

"I feel like we're trending in the right direction," head coach Deion Sanders told reporters after Saturday's win. "I feel like you guys are seeing the fruit of a lot of hard work, a lot of dedication, great hires. Bringing the right guys in with the right attitude, the right work ethic. I love where we are as a program. I really do. Could we be better? Of course, I think everyone can, but I know we're trending in the right direction."

great team win 💪 pic.twitter.com/vPAHdC5Kfc

— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 29, 2024

The Buffs now have a bye week before continuing their Big 12 schedule, with matchups against Kansas State, Arizona, Cincinnati, Texas Tech, Utah, Kansas and Oklahoma State to close the season.

Another consecutive win or two will make it hard for AP voters to justify keeping Colorado out of the Top 25.

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders advised his players not to do anything "crazy" following Saturday's 48-21 win over UCF.

"So guys, let's not do anything crazy," he said in his postgame speech to the team in the locker room. "You know how I am, no means no. Don't get crazy on the plane, don't do nothing that will prohibit you from playing after that break."

Coach Prime Postgame Speech 🔥

🎥 : @DeionSandersJr pic.twitter.com/ve8L0BkHQc

— We Coming 🦬 (@SkoBuffsGoBuffs) September 29, 2024

Spirits are understandably high in Boulder, however, after the Buffaloes reeled off their third straight win and moved to 4-1 on the season. Saturday's win was especially sweet after the Buffs came into the game as double-digit underdogs against the Knights.

"We're underdogs every week," Sanders told reporters after the game. "Ain't nobody want to see us win except for our fan base. That's just the nature of the game. We're not mad about it. We know who we are."

This is Colorado's best performance of the Coach Prime Era. Buffs will be 4-1, 2-0 in the Big 12.

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) September 28, 2024

We might need to start reconsidering Colorado's ceiling in the Big 12.

— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoATH) September 28, 2024

@CUBuffsFootball may have #1 & #2 in the draft this season. But can we please talk about the job @DeionSanders is doing at Colorado! The team is playing well on both sides of the football.

— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) September 28, 2024

Colorado's four wins haven't all been so easy, of course. In fact, drama has been the team's calling card to this point.

Colorado opened its season by narrowly beating North Dakota State, an FCS school. A 28-10 loss followed against Nebraska, followed by a 28-9 win over rivals Colorado State, a 38-31 win over Baylor that included a Buffs' Hail Mary touchdown as time expired to force overtime and now the blowout win over UCF.

The star duo of quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter paced Saturday's win. The former threw for 290 yards and three touchdowns, while the latter caught nine passes for 89 yards and a touchdown on offense and posted a touchdown on defense, bolstering his Heisman Trophy campaign.

Shedeur Sanders DART to Will Sheppard for a 47 yard TD 🎯@ShedeurSanders x @WillShep20

📺: @CFBONFOX pic.twitter.com/Kp7z5re6hV

— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 28, 2024

"We could be in a whole different place right now," Deion Sanders told reporters Saturday. "But we're 4-1 going into the break, and I'm so excited, you have no idea. It's gonna be a really good plane ride tonight."

Deion Sanders is a Pro Football Hall of Famer and also played in Major League Baseball, so he knows an elite athlete when he sees one.

And he sees one in Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani.

"He's incredible, man," the Colorado head coach told reporters Tuesday. "You can compare him to the Jordans and Tom Bradys of the world. That's who he is."

"Ohtani is incredible ... You can compare him to the Jordans and Tom Bradys of the world."

Coach Prime has high praise for Shohei Ohtani 👏 pic.twitter.com/3nNyPTjEcS

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) September 24, 2024

Michael Jordan and Brady are on the shortest of short lists when it comes to the greatest athletes of all-time, but it is hard to argue with Ohtani's greatness.

He is well on his way to the third MVP of his career and is slashing .301/.383/.640 with 53 home runs, 123 RBI and 55 stolen bases. He became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season and did so in incredible fashion.

Ohtani reached the accomplishment Thursday by going 6-for-6 with three home runs, 10 RBI, two stolen bases and four runs scored in one of the most unbelievable individual performances in a single game that baseball fans have ever seen.

Sanders surely took note and had nothing but praise for the baseball star.

What makes Ohtani's individual excellence all the more notable is he isn't even pitching this season as he recovers from elbow surgery. He is also normally one of the best pitchers in the league and has a career 3.01 ERA in 481.2 innings.

He will become even more valuable to the Dodgers in the future when he does return to the mound. It is almost the equivalent of Brady being the best quarterback in the NFL while he is also one of the best safeties, which is difficult to envision.

Sanders impacted the game in multiple ways in the NFL as someone who was primarily a defensive back but also returned kicks and played receiver at times. So versatility is not lost on him, which likely only elevates his opinion of Ohtani.