Colorado coach Deion Sanders responded to criticism of his treatment of a former player on Wednesday with a circuitous post on “X.”
“Folks don’t hate u because they really don’t know u,” he tweeted. “They admire u in a Negative way. They realize they can’t be u, think like u, talk like u or walk in your shoes. That Bothers them.”
Sanders came under criticism Tuesday when former player Xavier Smith accused him of neglecting to get to know his players and destroying their confidence.
A number of Colorado players jumped to Sanders’ defense via social media after Smith’s initial comments, with Sanders’ son, Shedeur, stating he didn’t even remember Smith.
Kaleb Mathis, a wide receiver and rising sophomore for the Buffaloes, made sure to get a word in as well. He tweeted a video of himself beating Smith, a defensive back, in a one-on-one practice rep.
As the younger Sanders did, Mathis deleted the tweet, but the controversy didn’t stop there.
Jaheim Ward, a fellow defensive back at Smith’s new school, Austin Peay State, came to his teammate’s defense, pointing out that Mathis amassed just 38 receiving yards last season.
The low blows continued, as Buffaloes’ social media content creator Dalvin Truth responded in kind with a screenshot of Ward’s stats in 2023 — eight solo tackles and four passes defensed — while telling Ward to “take a seat.”
That’s where Deion Sanders joined in, quoting Truth’s post and saying “Lawd Jesus” in apparent mockery of Ward’s performance.
That’s what you’re going to get from Deion Sanders. Throughout his professional career, he’s made a name for himself through not only his performance but his uncompromising attitude.
During the pre-draft process that began his own NFL career, Sanders had a meeting with the New York Giants, who wanted to assess his acumen with a thick test booklet. Sanders asked them where they would pick in the first round and, upon hearing that their pick was outside the top 10, responded (h/t: USA Today): “I’ll be gone before then; I ain’t got time for this.’ “
It’s Deion’s way or the highway — as many Colorado players found out last year when he overhauled the roster, bringing in more than 80 new players. It’s part of what makes him and his program must-see television, whether you love them… or love to hate them.