Deion Sanders is sure a man of good heart. But unfortunately, his kind gestures often spark debates. This time, an innocent gift from Coach Prime has triggered some online controversy.

It all began with Buffs’ long snapper Kameron Hawkins, who celebrated his birthday four days ago. Well, the celebration itself wasn’t the issue, but the gift from Deion Sanders has left some people questioning his intentions.

On September 6th, Deion Sanders shared a video where he wished Hawkins a happy birthday. In the clip, the Colorado Buffaloes’ head coach asks, “What do you want?” showing his generosity. Hawkins, trying to be modest, replies, “Nothing.” But Coach Prime doesn’t take no for an answer and insists, “No, give me something that you want. Is there anything tangible? I don’t know if this is an NCAA violation, but I’d get it for you.”

After some playful back and forth, Hawkins points to Sanders’ new cleats. Deion quickly called for his head of equipment, Smitty, to get a size 11.5 for Hawkins. Soon, a pristine pair of white Nike Air Max DT cleats made their way towards Hawkins. The Buffs prodigy gratefully takes them back to his locker, admiring them and thanking Coach Prime.

It was sure a heartwarming moment for Hawkins, who just transferred from the Arizona Wildcats this year. Well, the snapper hasn’t made any big plays with the Buffaloes yet. But for sure, the cleats could be a great morale boost for his future performance. However, the internet has a big question over this gifting approach, as some even find a loophole in this. 

Internet debates over Deion Sanders’ pricey gift

Deion Sanders is definitely generous with his Buffs, gifting them in unique ways. Even the Nike cleats he gave to Kameron Hawkins just launched this September and retail for a hefty $170 a pair. Noticing the splurge, one Instagram user joked, “I want 80 grand.” But not all comments were playful as such. One asked, “Don’t everyone on the team supposed to get the cleats?” and others quickly chimed in with similar questions.

Typically, new team members receive basic gear like knee pads, cleats, and other equipment. However, what Deion gave is a special edition of his shoe that isn’t widely available. So far, only his own kids have sported these cleats in Boulder, and now Kameron Hawkins joins the exclusive club. Still, questions like “So the whole team doesn’t get new game and practice cleats??” and “Aren’t the guys on the team supposed to be provided equipment?” filled the comments.

Even Deion himself has once hinted that these Nike Air Max DT cleats aren’t for everyone; they’re meant as incentives for only his star performers. This time, though, he made an exception, giving them as a birthday gift. Noting that, one user even joked, “I feel like the whole team shoulda already had em”. But as usual, Deion doesn’t seem to care about any backlash and may have more surprises up his sleeve! What do you think of the cool gift? Let us know in the comments below.