Despite all of the publicity that Deion Sanders receives from his coaching position at Colorado, his most challenging job continues to be balancing being a coach and father. A year ago, Coach Prime wasn’t just managing a team. He was managing a family in cleats under the microscope of college football’s loudest stage. Every choice Deion made at Colorado had to balance professional strategy with his fatherly impulses because both Shedeur Sanders and Shilo Sanders played under him. And now, that balancing act has followed them to the NFL.

The spotlight has only become more prominent. Shilo subtly entered the 2025 Draft undrafted, but Shedeur was the talk of the town. But in the NFL, reputations reset. And this week, Shilo’s name is already becoming more well-known within the coaching staff after just a few days of OTAs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

That’s when Coach Prime shared a touching Instagram post about Shilo Sanders. The post wasn’t flashy. Just a photo of Shilo wearing his practice attire for the Tampa Bay Bucs and a statement from head coach Todd Bowles: “His performance in OTAs has been more than just effort. He’s smart, vocal, and understands the game. He has been doing a good job from day one.” Coach Prime’s caption? “So Proud of u son. So Proud! #Dad & #CoachPrime.” And he has all the reasons to be proud. Shilo, who had a successful collegiate career split across South Carolina and Colorado but was not selected, has approached his NFL opportunity with nothing to lose and everything to prove.

The 24-year-old safety is making both real and symbolic noise besides making appearances. It is well known that Todd Bowles is difficult to impress, particularly with rookies. However, he was unable to overlook the influence Shilo had on Bucs OTAs. Bowles remarked, “He’s very intelligent, he’s very loud,” pointing out that Sanders was already setting up drills and making covering calls. “He has a good grasp of things Day 1…You have to make plays in pads. That’s what it comes down to – knowing what to do and then doing it consistently and constantly getting better every day.”

Shilo’s early Tampa days have caught the interest of more than just coaches. One of the best co-signs a rookie could want was veteran safety Antoine Winfield Jr., a 2023 first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler. “He plays hard. Works hard. He really wants to learn, and he just wants to improve his game. That’s something you admire from somebody coming in,” Winfield told Sports Illustrated. Winfield understands what it’s like to grow up in an NFL family. Because he is the son of former Pro Bowl corner Antoine Winfield Sr. But while Shilo is turning heads in Tampa, Shedeur Sanders is stuck in neutral.

While Shilo Sanders climbs in Tampa, Shedeur Sanders slips in Cleveland

The Cleveland Browns traded up to choose Shedeur in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Which came after months of media predictions that he would be selected in the first round. What started out as a prime-time premiere swiftly devolved into a brutal reality check. Shedeur hasn’t gotten any first-team reps during OTAs yet. After fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel and veterans Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco, he is presently ranked fourth on the depth chart. Because of his last name, expectations are extremely high, but the criticism has been equally loud.

Jason McIntyre, a Fox Sports analyst, didn’t mince words: “Despite all the hype for Shedeur, he’s the only quarterback on the Browns who wasn’t playing with the [first team],” McIntyre said. “The guy’s got ‘Be Legendary’ as his motto. He’s throwing really lavish NFL Draft parties. And he’s fourth on the depth chart, decidedly.”

So, there’s still time for Shedeur to rise. He has ample quarterback big-game collegiate experience, arm talent, and pocket presence. But for the time being, it’s difficult to overlook the Sanders brothers’ sharp differences. After being ignored and underappreciated when he first arrived in Tampa, Shilo is now in charge of huddles. Shedeur, who arrived in Cleveland overhyped and overanalyzed, is now watching reps go elsewhere. Only time will tell which Sanders brother takes Coach Prime’s legacy to the next level.