The Colorado Buffaloes retiring Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter’s jerseys did not go down well for many. When the program announced its intentions on Thursday, many brought up the timing of it all. The last jersey that the school retired was RB Rashaan Salaam’s No. 19. And it came 23 years after he won the Heisman. But for Deion, there was an easy answer to settle the dust, “But the way we are right now, we are a now generation… Those guys deserve what they deserve right now. So I’m proud of them.” And where the celebrations were concerned, he did not get distracted by the noise.

While the HC is done with his duties to Shedeur, he isn’t done being Dad of the Year. With Shedeur’s era in Boulder officially wrapped, Coach Prime pulled a move straight from the heart — retiring his son’s jersey No. 2 at Colorado’s Black & Gold Spring game. But it wasn’t just about Shedeur. It was a full-circle family moment.

On Saturday, Pilar Sanders — Shedeur’s mom and Deion’s ex-wife — posted a video en route to Boulder with the caption: “Taking this one last drive in to retire my son’s jersey number #2 what an honor and a privilege to have spent two in years Boulder, Colorado with them, it’s been amazing and to see these sites everyday nothing short of Fun, Gratitude and High Vibes!” Legendary vibes, for real. No beef, no drama — just two proud parents showing up strong for their son.

The Instagram reel shared the heavenly snowy views of Colorado’s route, probably from Alabama where Pilar stays with her daughter and Alabama A&M student Shelomi. But what also caught attention was the song she chose to play for the same. It was Perfect Timing, song Shedeur released in 2024. Sure, it was a perfect timing for the jersey retirement for the QB, but it also felt like a response to the crowd that was not cheering during the early jersey retirement. And this isn’t her first rodeo.

Pilar Sanders isn’t just Shedeur’s mom; she’s his full-time publicist. Last season, when Shedeur surpassed 100 yards against North Dakota, Pilar immediately took to Instagram to express her pride. “CONGRATS ON YOUR 100 PASSING TOUCHDOWNS!!! So proud of you son! Go #shedeursanders.” Pilar has, over time, celebrated almost every award and achievement of her boy with a dedicated social media post. How could she have stayed away this time when her ‘LEGENDARY’ son’s making the NFL jump?

Coach Prime brought Pilar back into the fold for this milestone, showing the world that when it comes to Shedeur, the whole fam pulls up. One jersey retired, one chapter closed, and a whole lotta love left on that field. But he wasn’t the only one who retired his jersey before the spring game. Travis Hunter also joined him in it.

And no one’s more satisfied than Prime Time, as he said, “I looked in both of their eyes — I know [Shedeur and Travis] were pleased, they were thankful, and they were proud. The time frame, nobody’s going to be happy with. Somebody’s always going to have something to say. But the way we are right now, we are a now generation… Those guys deserve what they deserve right now. So I’m proud of them.” It’s hard, but no one can ever match what the No. 2 and No. 12 jerseys did for Colorado.

The “Sanders” moment sparked immediate controversy. Retiring Shedeur and Travis Hunter’s jerseys before they even entered the NFL draft ignited a firestorm, defying Colorado’s traditionally conservative approach to such honors. Only four jerseys had previously been retired in the program’s 135-year history. Many stellar former Buffs, QBs Darian Hagan and Kordell Stewart, DB Deon Figures, and WR Michael Westbrook, are still in queue, waiting for their jerseys to go up in the rafters.

But despite the noise, Deion Sanders vehemently defended the decision at Thursday’s press conference, finding himself at the center of the debate. “We talking about Shedeur, we ain’t talking about nobody else. The only reason we are having this discussion is because his last name is Sanders. That’s it. It’s been so many things accomplished at this university expeditiously. It’s been unbelievable. And I think we should be appreciative. It’s a new day, we’re doing things a little different.”

CU’s golden era players voiced strong disapproval. Former linebacker Chad Brown posted, “Never want to take away from anything #2 or #12 have done. Amazing players. But to act as if CU FB was invented 3 years ago ignores the greatness in the past.” Darrin Chiaverini agreed, advocating a more measured approach, like the NFL Hall of Fame. “Retiring numbers is a huge honor, not to be taken lightly.” Both stressed that this isn’t about slighting Shedeur or Travis but about preserving perspective and respecting history.

But despite all the mess, all focus now stays on Shedeur Sanders’ NFL future.

Shedeur Sanders’ NFL future gets a push

Shedeur Sanders’ NFL future is sparking debate, and now a prominent Raider Nation voice has weighed in. Ice Cube, the West Coast rap legend and lifelong Raiders fan, has declared his support for Sanders.

With the 2025 NFL Draft approaching, Ice Cube urges the Raiders to seriously consider the Colorado quarterback. He believes in Sanders’ talent, respects his background, and sees a natural leader shaped by NFL excellence. The rapper’s passion and keen football insight intensify the already lively discussion.

Now, here’s the twist with all Giants and Browns buzz. When asked about the possibility of Shedeur going to the Raiders, Ice Cube didn’t hesitate and said, “Of course. I think his pedigree—you can’t dismiss that. He’s seen how to do it on the professional level for a very long time… Has a great, amazing coach [and father] in Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. … If he’s there, I think the Raiders should take him,” the rapper explained. “They’ve gotta still deal with some great quarterbacks in the AFC West, so we gotta make sure we can stop somebody, ’cause scoring ain’t the only thing, we’ve got some great quarterbacks out here.”

A week from the draft, all eyes are on Tom Brady and new head coach Pete Carroll as they face a crucial decision at pick number six. While Ashton Jeanty is a popular prediction, Cube’s support for Shedeur could change things. And the quarterback options don’t stop there; Jalen Milroe’s stock is rising after a strong finish at Alabama. An SB Nation fan poll even suggests significant support for Milroe, though the Raiders would need him to fall to pick 37.