Deion Sanders’ Son Asked to Fill Tom Brady’s Shoes Days After Shilo’s New Contract With Bucs

Being Deion Sanders’ son doesn’t guarantee star treatment—just ask Shilo. While little brother Shedeur dominated headlines (for better or worse) during draft season, the older Sanders sibling took the quieter path. No primetime draft party, no viral moments, just the raw grind of an undrafted free agent fighting for his shot. Being Coach Prime’s son only gets you so far when the pads come on. But sometimes opportunity comes with unexpected hype.

Days after putting pen to paper, Shilo got a vote of confidence from someone who knows a thing or two about larger-than-life personalities. And the comparison this time wasn’t to his Hall of Fame dad. But to the GOAT of Tampa Bay football. Wait till you hear who’s already crowning him Tom Brady’s successor—and the wild compliment that came with it. Turns out Shilo Sanders’ first big NFL moment came over dinner with a wrestling icon. The legendary Ric Flair – whose “Woooo!” echoes through five decades of pro wrestling – just gave the Bucs rookie the ultimate Tampa Bay compliment.

After sharing a meal in their new home city, the ‘Nature Boy’ gushed on social media, “For a man who can have an ego bigger than God, you are the most handsome and nicest man I have ever met in my entire life. In my mind in Tampa right now, @TomBrady is gone, so you are absolutely the man! Woooo!”

Flair’s bold proclamation came before Shilo even stepped foot in his first NFL training camp. The wrestling legend isn’t just running his mouth, though – he’s got real football credibility too, from his Michigan days to closely following Deion’s Colorado program. For Shilo, this surprise endorsement adds another fascinating chapter to his against-the-odds story. No draft hype. No promises from the Bucs. Just an undrafted free agent trying to carve his path out from Coach Prime’s shadow.

But here’s the thing – Shilo’s been putting in work. Teammates notice his grind. Coaches see his progress. And now he’s got the Nature Boy’s seal of approval. Will that translate to the field? Training camp will tell. But one thing’s clear: Between Flair’s Tom Brady comparison and Shilo’s quiet determination, this rookie’s story just got a lot more interesting. Woooo, indeed.

Not bad for a guy who didn’t even hear his name called on draft night.

Shilo Sanders and the $2.96M opportunity

Shilo Sanders’ journey to Tampa Bay reads like a football odyssey. After going undrafted in April, the son of Deion Sanders inked a three-year deal worth $2.96 million with the Bucs—a standard UDFA contract, but a golden ticket nonetheless. Now wearing No. 28 instead of his college’s No. 21, Shilo’s not just carrying his famous last name; he’s hauling five years of hard knocks across three schools (South Carolina, Jackson State, Colorado) into his NFL shot.

The stats show his playmaking flair: 229 tackles, six picks, and nine forced fumbles—including four last year at Colorado, where he housed both a fumble and an interception for TDs. But the road to June’s OTAs wasn’t smooth. Off-field hurdles—like an ongoing civil judgment and past shoulder surgery—could’ve derailed lesser competitors. Yet here he is, back in Florida, where his dad first became ‘Prime Time,’ now grinding among 15 other undrafted Bucs rookies. The secondary competition is fierce, but Shilo’s pedigree and nose for big plays give him a puncher’s chance.

Six weeks into his NFL journey, the buzz isn’t just about his famous family anymore. Teammates are noticing his work ethic. Coaches are praising his adaptability. And while nobody’s handing him Brady’s crown, Shilo’s already done the hardest part: proving he belongs in the conversation. Training camp will decide the rest, but for a guy who’s turned ‘undrafted’ into opportunity before? Never count out a Sanders in Florida.