Deion Sanders is not waiting for the season to figure out who he trusts. Colorado has two weeks of fall camp behind it, and he is already sorting players into guys he can take to Atlanta and guys who are staying home. That sounds like a standard camp move until Clancy Pendergast says the reality behind these roster cuts is far colder than players realize.
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Clancy Pendergast, who spent 16 seasons in the NFL, including a key stint with the Cowboys, is now a senior defensive analyst for Colorado. He knows firsthand how pro front offices operate. In the NFL, coaches do not just keep the most talented athletes. Quite often, they save the final roster spot for the guy who causes the fewest headaches, making personal character the ultimate survival tool.
“Character is the most important thing,” he told the Buffs via Thee Pregame Network. “You’re around the players so much during the season. You don’t want to have to be around somebody that’s a character flaw.”
Pendergast explained that equipment managers, trainers, and strength coaches can have a surprising amount of influence when teams evaluate players. They see the daily stuff coaches might miss. Who is late for treatment? Who keeps a messy locker? Who is always asking for something? Who is early, prepared, and easy to deal with? Those details matter when two players are otherwise close. And that is where his warning gets uncomfortable for Colorado players.
Moving up to the pro level does not mean you can relax in your coach’s office. Pendergast pointed out that modern NFL facilities track every step a player takes, right down to keycard badge-in times. Showing up at 7:30 a.m. sends a completely different message than sliding through the front door at 7:59 a.m., and front offices keep score every day.
“When you do get an opportunity to put your hand on the door to go in NFL building, you have to have the mindset they’re looking to replace you every single day,” he said. “Coaches and players, they’re looking for better. They’re looking for cheaper. They’re looking for anything they can do. Those guys aren’t billionaires for no reason. They’re businessmen.”
That cold business reality aligns directly with how Sanders operates in Boulder. As Colorado prepares for its September 3 season opener against Georgia Tech in Atlanta, travel limits mean hard choices. Coach Prime is using practice film and daily tracking data to filter out anyone who cannot stay steady under pressure.
For Sanders, leaving a player in Boulder is not about holding grudges; it is about building a squad he can trust in tight moments.
“We’re going to see who separates from the pack,” he told the team. “All you got to do is win.”
That leaves Colorado’s players with a simple assignment. Practice well, show up, take care of the small things, and produce when the opportunity comes. The roster is not waiting for anyone. Pendergast spent years watching NFL teams make those decisions. Now he is watching Colorado make them. And for the players hoping to turn this season into an NFL audition, the message is clear. Someone better is always trying to take your spot.