NFL teams don’t want to bet their chances on Shilo Sanders. Well, after being waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in less than a day of his preseason ejection and the San Francisco 49ers picking someone else despite having him as an option, it certainly seems like that. But if his father, Deion Sanders’s latest Instagram post is any evidence, the Sanders aren’t giving up just yet. 

Coach Prime has developed a pattern over the years to use social media as a personal diary. Some thoughts lead to controversy; others serve as a daily dose of motivation. His recent Instagram post falls in the latter category. He shared an image, where on the left side, burnt matches were separated from the unburnt matches on the right side by a single matchstick—illustrating the concept of “The Power of Walking Away.”

“The strongest person is strong enough to walk away when it’s popular & convenient to stay!” read the caption. 

Though the former NFL legend didn’t directly say who his post was about, it was widely seen as a response that came just a day after the 49ers passed on Shilo. Similarly, when the Niners first showed interest in the safety, Deion posted on X, “There’s a reason why u ain’t where u wanna be or where u should be. Evict something or somebody out of your life. That’s it.” He didn’t address Shilo in the tweet; the timing made everyone notice. 

This time, his Instagram post came shortly after the recent episode of the Colorado Football Coaches Show. He hinted at the possibility that Shilo might not return to the gridiron if he didn’t get signed in sometime. 

“He was in California last week meeting with a bunch of agents because he has the opportunity to do movies and sitcoms and stuff like that and then YouTube content,” Deion asserted. The question isn’t whether Shilo wouldn’t make it. It’s where he’ll go next. 

Things felt more certain when Shilo, too, discussed his other interests besides gridiron. “I’ve always done that my whole life, playing football, with music, acting, modeling… I’ve been prepared for anything that happen, cause you never know what could happen,” said the young safety. 

Deion has the utmost confidence in his son, Shilo, among all his children. “If I close my eyes and had to pick a kid that’s gonna make it out of my five, Shilo’s gonna make it,” he said. 

So, what if his NFL journey hasn’t gotten a kick start yet, the Hall of Famer sees potential in the safety. That’s what matters in the end. We’ll see Shilo Sanders on the big screen, if not the NFL, then Hollywood isn’t going anywhere. 

Shilo Sanders’ preseason punch sparks troubles

Shilo’s trouble began in the preseason, when he punched Zach Davidson of the Bills. He was ejected immediately and later imposed with a fine of $4,669. Though he admitted the mistake, he expressed uncertainty about seeing himself on the gridiron again. But the Bus didn’t take the whole incident lightly. 

“You can’t throw punches in this league. That’s inexcusable. They’re going to get you every time. You’ve got to grow from that,” said head coach Todd Bowles before he was waived the next day. 

Then, earlier this week on Tuesday, he was invited for try-outs by the 49ers, whose defensive star Nick Bosa went down with an ACL injury. He was hosted alongside William Bradley-King, DE Titus Leo, LB Isaiah Thomas, DB Brandon Joseph, and DB Jaylen Mahoney. 

A couple of days later, the 49ers GM John Lynch announced that the team wants to acquire a player via trade. Reason? “Our history shows, when you’ve got guys like Trent Williams, Christian McCaffrey, and the list goes on and on of players we’ve acquired via trade, that we’re not afraid,” said Lynch. 

But Tuesday’s try-outs weren’t totally a waste. They added Mahoney to the practice squad before S.F. went on to explore trade options.