What was supposed to be a sweet father-son moment for the Sanders family last week is now getting called out by broadcasters. Coach Prime went to see Shedeur Sanders practice ahead of his own fall camp. According to sports broadcaster Colin Cowherd, it was not good judgement on Deion Sanders’ part.

“So, the other day I saw Deion on the practice field, and I thought, ‘God, Deion, you have no self-awareness,” Colin Cowherd said on his podcast on August 2. “I don’t think Peyton Manning was going to be on the field or Eli when Arch gets drafted next year; I just thought, ‘God, Deion, go coach Colorado.’ I just thought, ‘Get out of this kid’s way.’ LeBron James likes to play with Bronny James, but he’s not getting in the way. He’s separated from him.”

On July 30, Sanders was spotted in the bleachers cheering on his son during the Browns’ practice. For him, it was a proud moment to see Shedeur practice, considering what it took for the former Colorado quarterback to get drafted last year. After getting first-round projections, Shedeur was pushed to the fifth round.

And even after arriving at the Browns, he was the fourth QB on the depth chart. Now, he is in an intense battle with his fellow teammate Deshaun Watson for the Browns’ starting QB1 position.

While it’s not the gesture a father would make, it’s his actions as Shedeur’s former coach that have attracted a lot of criticism. Deion Sanders met with Browns head coach Todd Monken and general manager Andrew Berry. He noted that it was vital, “as a coach, not a dad,” to give the staff personal insight into what drives Shedeur and how to maximize his potential.

The core of Cowherd’s argument concerns how elite football families handle the transition to professional football. When Peyton and Eli Manning were navigating the NFL, Archie Manning intentionally stepped into the background to let his sons command their locker rooms.

By showing up, meeting with head coach Todd Monken, and drawing the inevitable media circus, Deion inadvertently forces Shedeur to answer questions about his dad rather than his play on the field. In the NFL ecosystem, that kind of parental hovering signals a lack of trust in the player’s maturity.

Moreover, before the 2025 NFL draft, Deion Sanders’ public remarks about his son’s potential team contributed to his draft slide. He argued with journalists who reported that NFL teams were not confident about Shedeur. Rather than Shedeur’s game doing the talking for his talent, the Colorado head coach often became the news.

While many criticized the recent meetup, a few stood up for Deion as well. One of them was Pat McAfee, who reminded everyone that this should be treated as an honor rather than being criticized.

“I think if you were to ask any NFL coach if Deion Sanders, first-ballot Hall of Famer, one of the greatest athletes and football players to ever play, would be welcome at their practice, I think every coach would say, ‘Yeah, I think we’d let him,'” McAfee said on his show on July 31.