“You’re not just choosing a partner. You’re choosing a mirror, a teacher, a teammate, and a co-architect of your future. #CoachPrime,” Deion Sanders posted on Instagram this May. The message felt deeper than your usual relationship quote. Maybe even a reflection on his own past. The timing? Interesting. It came just after the Browns drafted his son, Shedeur Sanders. Was Coach Prime dropping life lessons for the next generation? Pilar Sanders, Deion’s ex-wife, appeared to pick up the subtext.

On June 26, she reposted a reel to her Instagram story, set to a compilation of emotionally charged movie clips, layered with a pointed quote from spiritual strategist Robert Edward Grant: “The universe doesn’t make mistakes… Some are karmic, here to challenge you, to break you open so you can grow.” For longtime observers of their history, it didn’t read like an off-chance, feel good reel. Given the messy divorce she went through with Deion back in 2013, that reel felt layered, intentional, even.

But Pilar has mostly stayed away from any public back-and-forth, but she’s remained actively present in her children’s lives. In the past year alone, she’s celebrated Shedeur’s football journey, reposted family highlights, and maintained a consistent presence on social media. While she rarely points blame, the reel’s message came just weeks after Shedeur was drafted by the Browns, Shilo began training with NFL veterans, and Deion stepped away from Colorado due to a serious but undisclosed health issue. So maybe that’s why Deion wasn’t buying into the emotional reflection.

After the reel went up on her stories, he posted his message: “An unthankful spirit gives off a scent that you can smell from miles away. Rid yourself of ungrateful & unthankful, unappreciated people because they will soon affect your peace.” Coach Prime’s clearly done with looking backward while Pilar’s still working through their past.

Back in 2012, as things were publicly unraveling, Deion told The Wall Street Journal that his choices were guided by what was best for his kids and family, not just himself. Now, as he deals with a serious health setback and keeps his circle tight, his tone is anything but conciliatory. Pilar’s reel, meanwhile, ends on a note of reflection: “Some are soulmates, not always romantic but life-changing.” But while Pilar was pulling threads from the past, Deion was trying to hold together the present. The reel may have looked inward, but Coach Prime’s focus was on just staying upright.

Recovery, not reconciliation

Nearly a month after publicly revealing he’d lost 14 pounds due to an unspecified health issue, Deion Sanders broke his silence again—this time with just three words. “Walking it out,” he posted to his Instagram story on June 25, offering no diagnosis, no timeline, just motion. It’s his first direct update since appearing on Asante Samuel’s Say What Needs to Be Said podcast on May 31, where he said what he was facing was “on a whole another level.” No further detail followed, only concern.

He’s recovering at his Texas estate, with sons Deion Jr. and Shilo nearby. In his absence, Colorado’s summer program has pressed on under strength coach Andreu Swasey. This isn’t unfamiliar territory. In 2022, Sanders underwent toe amputations after blood clots threatened his mobility. A year later, he had tissue removed from his left calf and missed Pac-12 Media Day. Now, with the Buffaloes’ opener against Georgia Tech just over two months away, there’s no official return date. The team can wait. But his message suggests he’s not just fighting to coach again—he’s fighting to stand.