For more than two seasons, the Sanders name in Colorado football was as loud, destructive, and unavoidable as a thunderstorm in the Rocky Mountains. It was more than simply a name. It was a movement, a brand, a media frenzy encased in Heisman dreams and gold chains. When Coach Prime took over in 2023, a team with a 0–1 record became the most talked-about program in college football. By 2024, Shedeur Sanders had thrown for 4,215 yards and 38 touchdowns. Travis Hunter had won the Heisman Trophy, and the Buffs had achieved their finest season since 2016. The result? $31.2 million in ticket sales, sold-out games, and a $8.24 million profit. However, as 2025 approaches, the storm is fading.

Travis Hunter & Shedeur Sanders are in the NFL. LaJohntay Wester and Jimmy Horn Jr.? Also gone. And Deion Sanders? He is left to reload. Since Deion’s two greatest stars announced their intentions to enter the draft, there have been rumors circulating about his future in Boulder. However, anyone who believed Coach Prime was prepared to ghost Boulder and pack his Louis bags should reconsider. “I told you I wasn’t going nowhere. I don’t know why y’all didn’t believe me,” Sanders reminded reporters during a spring press conference last month.

So, Deion Sanders is coming up with fresh methods to remind people that his family isn’t only suited for the spotlight—they were born in it. Coach Prime may have released his most emotional message since the NFL Draft this Saturday. A picture shows his son, Shedeur, standing confidently with the ball in his hand while wearing a Cleveland Browns jersey (number 12). The caption? Powerful, spiritual, and unvarnished: “Thank You JESUS! We can take whatever hand we’re dealt. We always have & we always will. #CoachPrime” It was more than a moment of pride for a father. It was a proclamation. It was a message of finality, faith, and fire.

And in case you were looking at the details, No. 12 is more than just a number. It’s the opposite of Deion’s famous 21. Symbolic. Subtle. Deliberate. A torch was passed using numbers sewn into a Browns jersey rather than words. In an interview with Andrew Siciliano this week, Shedeur confirmed the legacy nod. When questioned about the number flip, Shedeur grinned and responded, “You get the hint…It felt good wearing it, for sure.” The hint? A subliminal reminder that while he is forging his own path, he is never deviating from the plan his father established.

In the meantime, the program back in Boulder is on the verge of collapse. In ESPN’s most recent Big 13 power rankings, Colorado was rated 12th out of 16 teams, a long cry from the excitement of the previous season. The Buffs finished worst among Power 5 teams in 2024 in terms of rushing yards. But Coach Prime has made that a rallying cry. He hired NFL legend Marshall Faulk to coach his running backs. Hired Hall of Fame DT Warren Sapp full-time. And he remained in charge of creating a three-headed Hall of Fame coaching monster with skins on the wall. So, while one Sanders reloads in Boulder, his son bears the burden of expectation in Cleveland.

Shedeur Sanders faces the weight of legacy

Shedeur is more than a rookie quarterback. At Colorado, he was carrying Coach Prime’s high-wire show for the past two years while dodging poor blocking and sensational headlines. He is now with the Browns team. A team that has experimented with every quarterback since 1999, from the chaos of Johnny Manziel to the controversies surrounding Deshaun Watson. But this time it looks like they’re betting on legacy.

And Shedeur knows it. He told Andrew Siciliano this week, “I came here (Cleveland) on the 30 visit, and I was just anxious. Wanted to know where I’m going to end up… and what franchise I’m going to have a chance of turning around.” In Cleveland, the phrase ‘turnaround’ is not taken lightly. Since January 2021, the Browns have failed to win a postseason game. Since rejoining the league in 1999, their starting quarterback has changed 35 times. It’s personal this time, but the pressure cooker is constantly on.

So, Shedeur Sanders is entering the NFL with a bullseye on his back. He not only showed promise during his first minicamp with the Cleveland Browns, but he also exceeded expectations. Day 1: 471 yards and five touchdowns. Day 2: an additional 412 yards and five scores. Thirty completions out of thirty-three attempts? That isn’t just a positive impression. That’s historically absurd.

But the fear? That’s coming from those who are around Shedeur—those who understand that mistakes might ruin what is turning out to be a generational career. And the stakes are ridiculously high. Because the legacy conversation becomes serious if Shedeur is successful and he makes the Browns a contender. Father and son. They both changed the game. They both made history. But what if he falters? No one will view that jersey number as a tribute. So, the pressure’s real.