The Colorado Buffaloes arrived at Deion Sanders’ Texas ranch for what looked like another offseason leadership retreat. Instead, they heard a message from a Super Bowl champion and seven-time Pro Bowler that challenged the way they viewed their own program. Entering his 11th NFL season, Pittsburgh Steelers safety Jalen Ramsey told the room they were experiencing something he never had—even as a national champion at Florida State.

Ramsey sought out Sanders during the offseason despite already establishing himself as a seven-time Pro Bowler. Speaking to roughly 20 Colorado team leaders at the private retreat, he admitted he simply wanted to “soak up some game” from Coach Prime before delivering an even more surprising comparison involving his championship years at Florida State.

“But it’s something about being around greatness sometimes,” Ramsey said to some Buffs in a video posted on Well Off Media YouTube channel. “It just gives you that little extra motivation. You just want to be around somebody just to soak up some game, soak up some knowledge. I’m in year 11, I still don’t know it all, I just was telling them, like I just want to be around you. I got to get some gain from you, just on this phase of my career, on this year.

“How is this for you here, and what do I need to be doing? What do I need to be looking at? I promise y’all, don’t take this for granted, man. For real, don’t take stuff like this for granted, because I would kill to be in these seats.”

Ramsey’s admiration wasn’t simply because Sanders is a Hall of Famer. He revealed that even after more than a decade in the NFL, he still sought out Coach Prime for guidance during the offseason.

Colorado’s program under Sanders has become known for exposing players to active NFL veterans and Hall of Famers throughout the year. Ramsey reminded players that those opportunities aren’t common across college football, urging them to appreciate an environment he described as far from “cookie-cutter.”

Ramsey’s message carried extra weight because of his own relationship with Sanders. The two share Florida State roots, with Ramsey becoming the first true freshman cornerback to start for the Seminoles since Sanders in 1985. Yet despite following a similar path to NFL stardom, Ramsey admitted Colorado players have access to a level of mentorship he never experienced in Tallahassee.

Ramsey’s statement on Florida State

Ramsey’s comparison stood out because it wasn’t coming from someone unfamiliar with elite college football. He helped Florida State win the 2013 BCS National Championship and became the first true freshman cornerback to start for the Seminoles since Sanders himself. Yet Ramsey still believes Colorado’s environment under Coach Prime offers something different.

“That ain’t normal. It wasn’t like that for me at Florida State, it wasn’t. It ain’t like that nowhere else, I can guarantee you. I know a lot of different coaches at different places, it’s not like that.”

Ramsey’s comments echoed something he has publicly maintained before. In 2018, he criticized former Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher after Fisher’s staff used his image in promotional material, saying Fisher “didn’t teach me not one DB technique.” That history makes his praise for Sanders’ hands-on mentorship even more notable.

Should they want to pay their coaches back, Ramsey taught them how to do it. “So, the way to pay that back is to work your a—- off. Every opportunity y’all get, don’t even think of it as work, think of it as an opportunity.”

Sanders has spent the offseason rebuilding Colorado after last year’s 3-9 campaign, bringing key team leaders together at his Texas ranch while preparing a roster built around new quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis and several transfer additions. Ramsey’s message served as a reminder that, regardless of wins or losses, he believes Colorado’s biggest advantage begins with the man leading the program.