Look, we all know Deion Sanders was an absolute freak athlete. The guy played in the NFL and MLB simultaneously, which is basically superhuman. But he might be even better at business than he was at sports. Sanders has built an empire that goes way beyond his coaching gig at Colorado. He’s got deals with Nike that have lasted decades, he’s been involved with everything from Subway to Pizza Hut over the years, and he’s consistently found ways to monetize his “Prime Time” brand across different industries. Deion Sanders understood something most athletes don’t: your playing career ends, but your brand can last forever if you’re smart about it.

Even when life threw him a curveball with his cancer diagnosis, Sanders found a way to turn it into something meaningful. After going through treatment and dealing with the real-world challenges that come with recovery, he partnered with Depends to talk openly about incontinence issues that many cancer survivors face. Instead of hiding from an uncomfortable topic, he used his platform to help others while creating an authentic partnership that actually made sense. That takes serious business instincts, turning your most vulnerable moment into an opportunity to help people and build your brand simultaneously.

Now, Sanders is making another smart move that shows just how deep his business thinking goes. Deion had more than five signature shoes with Nike over the years, and he just announced another one that’s honestly genius. He shared the news on his Instagram story by reposting House Of Heat’s announcement about the “Nike Air Diamond Turf ‘Must Be The Money'” dropping in September. Yeah, you read that right; they named the shoe after his 1994 rap single from when he released his album “Prime Time” under MC Hammer’s record label.

The shoe itself is pretty sick, and House Of Heat really nailed the description. Their blog read, “The pair reworks Deion’s iconic cross-training silhouette with details inspired by the flashy energy of his rap persona. The shoe features a clean white leather upper with light blue accents and gold branding that nods to Sanders’ showmanship.” They’re basically talking about the classic Diamond Turf and giving it the full Prime Time treatment with colors and details that match the energy of his music career. The tongue even has his number 24 alongside dollar sign motifs, which is a perfect callback to the song title.

What makes this release special is that Nike actually put some serious thought into the construction. They’re using premium tumbled leather and layered mesh for durability, plus you get interchangeable black and white laces so you can switch up the look. The cream outsole has black and blue hits for contrast, and honestly, the whole package feels like they’re celebrating every part of Sanders’ career at once. It’s dropping later this year at Nike retailers, and something tells us these are going to move fast.

Prime time promotes business while son faces NFL crossroads

Here’s what’s interesting about timing, though. While Deion Sanders was busy sharing Nike’s “Must Be The Money” shoe announcement on his Instagram story, he’s been completely silent about his son Shilo’s ejection from the Buccaneers’ preseason finale against Buffalo. Coach Prime, who usually has something to say about everything involving his kids, hasn’t posted a single word about the incident that could derail Shilo’s NFL dreams. It’s a stark contrast. One moment he’s celebrating business partnerships and brand expansions, the next, he’s radio silent when his son needs support the most.

The altercation itself was pretty ugly to watch. Shilo got into it with Bills tight end Zach Davidson during the second quarter after Davidson continued blocking him downfield well after the play had ended. Davidson kept pushing and shoving Shilo toward the end zone, and when he delivered one final shove, the rookie safety had enough and threw a punch that connected with Davidson’s helmet. The refs did what they should’ve: immediate ejection for unnecessary roughness, and the Bills scored a touchdown on the very next play. For a 25-year-old undrafted free agent already fighting for a roster spot, getting tossed in his final preseason audition is about as bad as it gets.

Todd Bowles was fuming, calling Shilo’s actions “inexcusable” and reminding everyone that “you can’t throw punches in this league”. The Buccaneers coach made it clear that this kind of behavior just doesn’t fly, especially from rookies who need to prove they belong. What makes this whole situation even more awkward is the contrast between father and son right now – Deion’s out there building his brand and making business moves while Shilo’s NFL future hangs in the balance. Sometimes the Sanders name opens doors, but right now it feels like it might be adding extra pressure when the kid could really use his dad’s public support.