Shilo Sanders Makes Retirement Plans Clear With Buccaneers After Sending Request to Dad Deion Sanders

In a recent training session, Sanders mirrored Winfield stride-for-stride during a turn-and-run coverage drill that caught fans’ attention. Some even argued his footwork looked sharper than the All-Pro’s in that moment. It was just one rep, but it hinted at real upside. With depth spots still unsettled behind the starters, Sanders, 25 and undrafted, is quietly building a case to stick around. Still, even with his immediate future in flux, he carries himself like someone who’s already mapped out the next chapter—and it’s not what you’d expect.

Around the facility, that calm shows. Coaches praise his energy. Teammates call him the “snack guy” during meetings, a nod to his laid-back presence. While most undrafted rookies fight for attention, Shilo blends humor with hustle, adding color to the locker room while grinding through reps. He may be unproven on the field, but off it, he already moves like a man who’s thinking long-term.

And he shared exactly how far ahead he’s thinking in the most Shilo way possible. During a recent YouTube vlog filmed at Dummy Crabby, a Tampa seafood spot, the rookie safety casually laid out his post-football blueprint between bites of crab legs.

“Eat crab legs all day,” he grinned. “Alright, realistically… that actually [sounds good], but I’d say anything entertainment-like—like acting, modeling, bro, music. Drake, like 30, he’s still making music, so by that time, hopefully, I could keep doing that stuff too.” Coming from a family already comfortable in the spotlight, these ambitions make sense. His brother Shedeur released the hip-hop track Perfect Timing last May (creative pursuits run in the blood), and his father, Deion Sanders, famously transitioned into media and broadcasting after his Hall of Fame career. All of it offers a clear blueprint for blending fame with entertainment. So yes, the 25-year-old would like to give a career in broadcasting a shot as well.

“A lot of people say I’d be good at commentating too—that’d be funny,” the rookie safety admits. That confidence behind that isn’t just self-proclaimed. His communication skills have already stood out at OTAs. Coach Todd Bowles praised him as “very intelligent” and “very loud,” noting his on-field calls have a grasp of the game that media professionals value. But his real passion lies elsewhere still.

“I’ll say… streaming for sure. Just, you know, having fun with everything that I’m doing.” Sanders isn’t just talking hypotheticals; he’s performed his own Twitch draft coverage with his brother live, drawing nearly one million viewers. His online presence is already real. But beyond everything, for him, it’s about building something lasting.

 “I want to be in a position financially where I could enjoy my life, and the people around me can enjoy their lives too,” he shared of a mindset shaped by watching his dad parlay NFL success into financial and personal freedom. “That’s what I want to see. That’s what my dad did.”

The Bucs have already seen glimpses of that bigger-picture mentality. Whether it’s keeping a spreadsheet of teammates’ snack preferences or bringing levity to long meetings, Sanders has found small ways to make himself useful beyond the field. That attention to detail has quietly set him apart. Combine that with Bowles’s recognition of his intelligence and vocal leadership, and you get a rookie thinking far past Week 1, and planning for much more than football. But while Shilo maps out his future, one key detail remains—his request to Dad. 

Given his joking suggestion about waking up as ‘Coach Dad Prime’ to set up a trust fund, it seems the Sanders family business meetings might be more interesting than most.

Shilo Sanders’ big ask from dad Deion Sanders

“If I woke up as Coach Prime—Coach Dad Prime—for one day,” he mused, “I would just make a trust fund for Shelo and just give it to him. I’ll do that.” That playful trust fund joke reveals more than just family humor. Shelo – Shilo’s younger sister from Deion’s marriage to Pilar Biggers-Sanders – represents the tight-knit Sanders crew that includes brother Shedeur and sister Shelomi. When the Bucs rookie says he wants ‘the people around me to enjoy their lives too,’ he’s not just talking – he’s living the Sanders family playbook.

Deion’s influence looms large in Shilo’s plans. The Hall of Famer didn’t just build a football legacy—he created a blueprint for turning sports fame into lasting success. Now, the 25-year-old appears to be following those footsteps, blending NFL aspirations with bigger dreams. That request to Dad? Likely more than just financial advice, probably a masterclass in building brand Sanders 2.0.