Growing up as Deion Sanders’ son came with plenty of lessons, and apparently, some of them extend far beyond the gridiron. Shedeur Sanders has never been shy about sharing glimpses of his personality off the field, but his latest comments are just a peek at what his non-negotiables are when it comes to dating.
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During an interview with Cosmopolitan on October 9, host Willa Bennett asked him what the biggest red flag is for him on a first date. Shedeur had a simple answer: “I would say bringing friends.”
Shedeur spends most of his time either playing in the NFL or training for it, but he has been very secretive about his personal life. But it’s not being busy that’s keeping him single; Sanders has a long checklist when it comes to dating, and, in his own words, he knows he is picky in this part of his life.
As far as his checklist goes, Shedeur does not want to date a superfan or someone chasing the high-profile NFL “WAG” lifestyle. As a second-generation athlete, he knows that the intense media attention and pressure surrounding his dating life require a partner who remains grounded.
This was just the tip of the iceberg. The very important non-negotiable thing for him when it comes to dating is his parents’ approval. When Bennett asked during the segment if it’s okay to date someone your parents don’t approve of? Shedeur wasted no time in giving a blunt ‘No’ as an answer.
“It’s not okay to date them because I think they think things through… And they had a relationship, and they divorced. So, they should probably have had the best experience telling me what I should and shouldn’t do,” Shedeur said in the Cosmopolitan interview.
Coach Prime and Pilar Sanders ended their marriage on a bitter note in 2013. Today, they both live separate lives with a co-parenting dynamic for the sake of their three high-profile children. However, it all started with a very messy and public divorce and custody battle. The two tied a knot in 1999 and were peacefully married for 12 years before Sanders officially filed for divorce in 2011.
This legal war lasted from 2011 to 2014 and dragged their family through the mud. It resulted in physical altercations, massive lawsuits, and even jail time for Pilar. While Sanders won primary custody of their sons, Pilar got shared custody of their daughter, Shelomi. However, they are both now seen in public supporting their kids together.
Although witnessing such an intense legal battle at a young age may have affected Shedeur, it taught him valuable lessons about relationships and learning from their mistakes. Even though he values their opinion, he still doesn’t get to meet the family on first dates. As for more pearls of wisdom from his father that he has adopted, his main goal at the moment is to focus on his career.
“He lived the life that you know we all are trying to obtain and trying to live,” Shedeur said on Cosmopolitan. “So it was more about focusing on your career and focusing on what you have to do.”
Shedeur seems to be in no hurry to find the one and will be taking his sweet time before he makes that decision.
“Let’s truly be friends first. I don’t plan on dying anytime soon, he added. “I’m in it for the long game. A lot of people like to rush too quickly.”