Michael Strahan has hyped Deion Sanders on national television, defended him online, and co-founded the company, SMAC Entertainment, that represents him. So when Coach Prime’s list for his signature Nike sneakers came out without Strahan’s name on it, the former Giants legend was left wondering where all that loyalty went.
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“I should be on it,” Strahan said on Hustle Like You’re Broke Podcast. “How am I not on the list? If there’s anybody who should be on Prime’s list, it’s freaking me.”
Deion Sanders gave sneaker fans something to talk about in 2024 when he shared pictures of the Nike LeBron 21 “Prime Year” colorway on social media. It fit the moment, because the Colorado Buffaloes head coach had turned Boulder into a real hangout for stars and sneakers.
Ever since he and Nike reunited in 2023, the two had picked up right where they left off, bringing back popular retro models along the way. Nike had already released his signature cleats and sneakers in a “Coach Prime” colorway, and the black, white, and gold look was an easy nod to Colorado’s football team.
This year as well, the Nike Air DT Max 96 Low Triple White, the newest colorway of the low-top version of Sanders’ 30-year-old DT Max 96, launched on August 7, 2026. That brought things around to Michael Strahan. When Constance Schwartz-Morini showed him the latest sneakers, he was amazed, mostly because he didn’t own any of them.
According to Sole Retriever, the Nike Air DT Max 96 Low came ready for grass stains, with premium white leather, hits of white mesh on the vamp, grey branding accents, and metallic silver on the heel’s mini Swoosh. Adult pairs cost $170, and Nike tapped Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders to star in the campaign.
No wonder Deion Sanders has made waves in both the college football world and the sneaker industry in recent years. Earlier, during the 2023-24 NBA season, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James debuted the LeBron 21 “Prime Year,” a red-and-white player-exclusive version of his 21st signature sneaker as a tribute to Sanders.
Being part of this collection is something every Sanders fan would want, including Strahan. That’s the reason why, during the same podcast on September 23, Strahan jokingly pointed out that if anyone deserved a spot on that list, it was him, considering how long he had supported Coach Prime and how much work they had done together.
He had a case. Their partnership went back to Sanders’ Jackson State days, when Strahan’s suit brand sponsored the school, and SMAC lined up NIL marketing deals for its players. That same company went on to produce “Coach Prime” on Prime Video, and it represented Sanders’ sons Shedeur and Shilo for NIL.
In 2024, Strahan also backed Sanders on social media after Travis Hunter won the Heisman Trophy, pointing to the coach’s success while critics questioned his decision to replace dozens of former players.
Strahan also shared what Sanders was like away from the spotlight during the return of the Coach Prime docuseries.
“Prime Time and Deion Sanders are two different people,” the Fox NFL Sunday analyst said. “Prime Time is flashy, arrogant, confident, cocky.”
Then he described the other side.
“Deion is chill, loves to fish, loves to hang out” and “almost an introvert in a lot of different ways.” He added, “But also… [he] is family-oriented.”
Fishing was one passion the two shared, and they were known to be close friends. Sanders once told Strahan on Good Morning America that he knew him “like a book.”
With a bond like that, missing out on Coach Prime’s favorite list was bound to sting Strahan a little.