Deion Sanders knows you need a team in order to win in the NFL.
The Hall of Fame defensive back and current Colorado Buffaloes head coach was arguably the greatest cover corner the game has ever seen, but it wasn't until he joined stacked teams such as the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys that he won a Super Bowl.
Sanders spent the first five seasons of his career with the Atlanta Falcons where he missed the playoffs four of those years with losing records.
His son, Shedeur Sanders, now faces a similar predicament with the Cleveland Browns.
Deion on Shedeur: "A quarterback needs help"
They're coming off of a 5-12 season and are expected to once again be one of the worst teams in the NFL. Shedeur is currently competing with veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson for the starting quarterback job.
Deion Sanders wanted to see a little more out of his son as a rookie, but understands that much of it has to do with your supporting cast when you're a quarterback.
"I would have wanted him to perform a little better, but that's not just an individual thing, that's a team thing," Sanders told Covers in an exclusive interview on behalf of his partnership with Depend.
Enjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account"A quarterback needs help tremendously from the offensive line, from the receivers, from the running game, from the coordinators as well. “It's not just a singular thing, like a defensive back. I don't care what the pass rush is, (the DB) has got to do his job. It's a little different with a quarterback. He needs several things to go right for him to be successful."
Deion Sanders: ‘I’m not going to question’ Myles Garrett trade
The Browns recently traded reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams. The move further signals how the Browns are in a rebuild with no clear sign of when they'll be contenders.
That makes it more challenging for a young quarterback like Sanders, who performed decently considering the circumstances. After taking over as the starting quarterback midway through the season, Sanders went 3-4 and threw seven touchdowns against 10 interceptions.
His father made it clear that he supports the job that Andrew Berry - the executive vice president of football operations - is doing in Cleveland.
"I'm happy with Mr. Berry, the GM, and what he's doing, I'm not going to question his direction of what he's bringing to the table. I'm not there, so I don't know all the intangibles that provoked that trade. I'm happy with what they got, and I can't wait to see how it plays out."
Coach Prime on why Travis Hunter should play both ways in 2026
When the subject pivots to his other former Colorado Buffaloes star, Travis Hunter, Sanders said he's one of a kind. The former Heisman Trophy winner had a rough rookie season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, limited to just seven games after undergoing surgery on a torn ligament in his right knee.
Hunter entered the year with high expectations, but he posted just 28 receptions for 298 yards and one receiving touchdown with no interceptions on defense. He wasn't able to show off his playmaking ability and gamebreaker ability that was on clear display in Colorado.
"They're not going to ask me,"I thank God that you're asking me. The kid won the Heisman Trophy playing both sides of the ball. That's all I gotta say on that.”
Sanders continues to echo what kind of special player that Hunter is as the only elite two-way player that college football has seen in recent memory. During his final season at Colorado, Hunter posted 96 catches for 1,258 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns along with four interceptions as a defensive back.
Sanders, who played wide receiver periodically throughout his own career, said there’s no good player comparison for Hunter.
"There's no comparison to what he's able to produce on the field. It's no comparison. I can't say who I would compare him to, because I would be lessening that person. That's not fair to him or the persons that I'm comparing it to. He's different, man."
Sanders said he still gives advice to Hunter as he navigates his NFL journey.
"I consider him not only as one of my players, but he still is like a son to me. So of course, definitely."
“I love Jerry Jones”
Sanders played for five different teams during his NFL career, but his prominent tenure was with the Cowboys. It was with the Cowboys where Sanders won a Super Bowl in his first season teaming alongside legends such as Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman.
The team owner from that time, Jerry Jones, is still the owner to this day three decades later. When asked about his relationship with Jones, Sanders said he "loves" him.
He said he's not sure how the Cowboys will do this season given he doesn't pay close attention to them.
"First of all, I love Jerry Jones. I mean, he's the man, I don't follow pro football. I do follow the Browns, because my son plays, but I don't...I'm so wrapped up into what I'm trying to accomplish with Colorado. I don't have time to follow the pros and make sure we're on top of our game, and make sure my son is doing his thing. I don't follow the Cowboys. I'm sorry."
Deion Sander spoke exclusively on behalf of his partnership with Depend. The interview was conducted with DJ Siddiqi for Covers.com. All quotes in this article are taken from an exclusive interview conducted by Covers.com. Journalists and media outlets are welcome to use these quotes, provided they are attributed to Covers.com. Please ensure links back to the original article to provide full context for readers.
