Deion Sanders’ Ex-Wife Questions NFL’s Decision After Bucs Deliver Shilo Sanders Another Harsh Message

“Shilo’s a man of many talents, and he’s going to be straight. All of the Sanders are going to be straight, with or without football. You better believe that.” That’s how Shilo Sanders’ father, Deion Sanders, put it right after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers showed his son the door. Not exactly the family reunion Shilo planned for his rookie year, especially when you are the son of an NFL Hall of Famer. It’s been one wild week. Colorado’s HC had the media eating out of his hand, talking up his kids and their future. But he didn’t do much damage control. And called it what it is. 

“I prepared my kids for any and everything that could possibly happen in life and in sports,” Coach Prime said. Not just proud, but practical. Shilo’s been grinding from day one. Went undrafted in 2025, landed with the Bucs on a three-year deal worth nearly $3 million. All the right moves in camp. He showed a good attitude, thanked God “for putting me in position to even be on the field.” And yet he didn’t get to be on the other side of the 2025 NFL season. But while his dad was steady and calm, Shilo’s mom was ready to speak up loud and clear – and she didn’t hold back.

Now, anybody who knows Shilo’s mom knows she’s never been the quiet type when her kids are involved. So, of course, she fired off her own shot, taking the whole debate online. Pilar Sanders, Deion’s ex-wife, hopped onto her Instagram to challenge the logic behind her son’s brutal ejection. She reposted a TikTok video on her IG story defending Shilo’s side, labeled, “Did Shilo deserve to get ejected for this?” The clip showed: “For 15 yards refs did nothing. Only after Shilo defends himself do refs throw flags, penalized, and ejected only Shilo.”

Pilar’s video slammed the officials hard: why did they wait until Shilo reacted to step in? For her, this wasn’t just a blown call – it was a blown moment for her son’s career. It hit a nerve. The ejection shattered his hope for a rookie season. Did the refs let things get too messy before blaming the guy who got dragged? 

So what happened? Preseason finale, Bucs vs. Bills. Zach Davidson, Buffalo’s TE, locked up Shilo and dragged him a full 15 yards, with his fingers inside Shilo’s helmet. The refs just plain watched. And as soon as the play ended, Shilo snapped and swung. A punch right to Davidson’s helmet, smack in front of an official. Tampa barely waited 24 hours before waiving him.

And just like that, a rookie shot at the 53-man roster was sent into orbit. The lesson? You can work your tail off in camp, but one mistake and your story gets rewritten.

It wasn’t just mom and dad sticking up for Shilo. His agents, Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey, are betting he’ll get picked up off waivers. The Bucs cut him quick, barely gave a thought to all the promise he showed. Deion summed it up: “We’re praying that he gets another opportunity to go with a team. But if he doesn’t, the plans have already been put forward to what he’s going to do next.” All said, this is far more than a messy exit from Tampa. It’s a question of how much power the refs really have when tempers fly, and how many chances a young player can blow before the league slams the door.

Bucs slam the door on Shilo Sanders

Just when Shilo thought he’d caught his breath, Tampa Bay dropped the hammer again. The Buccaneers filled all their practice squad slots – none with the name Sanders. It was a writing on the wall, but somebody went ahead and spelled it out in giant letters: Shilo Sanders has no place anywhere on the roster. Even Desmond Watson, who spent all August on the NFI list and missed every drill, got a look from the Bucs. But not Shilo. That punch cost him more than a fine. It cost him a future.

But Shilo put a human face on the fallout on his YouTube channel. “I’ve had the best time up here in Tampa, but you know, everything just happens for a reason and it is what it is. So, I’ve been talking to my agent and we’re waiting on the next opportunity. If that’s an NFL, cool. But God’s blessed me with a lot of talents to do other things other than play football, you know,” Shilo said. “And I feel like in every athlete’s life, it becomes a point to where the game ends for you. And I’m not saying that’s what it is now. I’m just saying mentally I’m good because I know that I got a lot of talents and I’ve been blessed.”

Head coach Todd Bowles didn’t sugarcoat it after the ejection: “You can’t throw punches in this league. I mean, that’s inexcusable. They’re gonna get you every time. Gotta grow from that.” It was just harsh NFL truth. Bowles liked Shilo’s motor, his aggression, even his special teams work. But one mistake gets you sent home, deal or no deal. The Bucs’ culture is built on discipline, not drama. Mess up – even if you’re a Sanders – and you’re gone.