Deion Sanders is five months away from making his debut as the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, but that has not stopped him from being a topic of conversation. Most recently, Deion Sanders appeared on The Rich Eisen Show during the week of Super Bowl LVII. While speaking to Eisen, Sanders spoke about what he may look for in a potential recruit. In his remarks, Sanders said that he prefers to recruit quarterbacks that were raised in two-parent households and defensive linemen from single-parent homes.
“Quarterbacks are different. We want mother, father. Dual parent. We want that kid to be 3.5 [GPA] and up. Because he has to be smart. Not bad decisions off the field, at all. Because he has to be a leader of men,” Sanders said.
“Defensive linemen is totally opposite. Single mama, trying to get it, he’s on free lunch. I’m talking about just trying to make it. He’s trying to rescue mama. Like mama barely made the flight. And I want him to just go get it.”
The comments Sanders made while speaking to Eisen drew backlash from a number of different areas of the sports world.
“After his latest comments, it’s time that people of all colors see Sanders for what he truly is — an opportunist that would sell out his own people, and family, for a soundbite and more time in the spotlight,” Deadspin’s Caron J. Phillips wrote.
“Deion [Sanders] is in a position that few Black people ever get to. And he got to that position and he’s out here sounding like the whitest white man. What [do] we need a Black coach for in Division I in FBS or anywhere else if you are going to say the same stuff that the cats that are already there are saying?” HBO’s Bomani Jones asked.
Earlier this week, Deion Sanders appeared on an episode of The Pivot with Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor. In the opening minutes of the episode, Sanders seemingly responded to those who have criticized his comments regarding recruiting.
“Coach, how umm…how much did you weigh when you played?” ESPN’s Ryan Clark asked Sanders.
“In the pros, [I weighed] anywhere from 185 to…my heaviest was 205,” Sanders replied.
“When you’re looking at recruits…the high school kids…is that something that you pay attention to?” Clark inquired.
“Yeah, we stereotype everything. I just got in trouble for being honest about stereotypes,” Sanders said, seemingly referring to the comments he made on The Rich Eisen Show.
“But, it’s the truth. If you go on a job interview, what [are] they going to ask? [They] ask questions about the job and the requirements. I do too. Nobody just talks about it.”
