It has never been Deion Sanders‘ style to fade in silence. But the legendary Coach Prime has become a ghost in his own empire in recent weeks. It all began with him skipping the summer football camps in Colorado. Then, at a prominent speech in Georgia, there was a no-show. And when his fans began to wonder, ‘Where is Deion?’ all they received was a hazy livestream update from his son, Deion Jr., who maintained that his father was “feeling well.” Given Deion’s struggles in 2023—blood clots, 12 surgeries, two toe amputations, and chronic circulation problems that had previously disrupted his coaching availability—it did little to ease anxiety.

Even the updates from Coach Prime himself have been nothing but vague. He recently shared that he will clear the air on his health issues once he goes back to Colorado. But while Coach Prime battles silently to recover behind closed doors, his youngest son is out here converting Ohio highways into racetracks. So in came Shannon Sharpe armed with a verbal belt. 

NFL star and Deion’s long-time buddy Shannon Sharpe didn’t hold back when it was revealed that Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders had received two speeding tickets in June, once for driving 91 in a 65 and again for hitting 101 in a 60. On the Night Cap podcast, Sharpe said, “You got to realize you’re Shedeur Sanders. Yep, you know what comes with that last name. You know who your father is…You will probably get criticized, scrutinized a little bit more than another 21, 22, 23-year-old would. And his last name isn’t Sanders…his father isn’t Coach Prime.” And Sharpe didn’t stop there. He brought some unpleasant insight from his own history. “My brother said, ‘Bro, look, I understand you know young and X, Y, and Z…if that tire blows, it’s over.'” It wasn’t just a celebrity soundbite. It was a wake-up call from someone who knows exactly what happens when talented young players forget the weight of their last name.

Shedeur’s first incident occurred on June 5 in Brunswick Hills, where he was traveling at 91 mph in a 65 mph zone, according to court documents and ESPN. He failed to appear at the arraignment. Only a few weeks later, the second ticket was issued in Strongsville for exceeding the speed limit by more than 40 mph (101 mph) in a black Dodge TRX. That one is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. He now faces a July 3 court date and $269 in fines + court costs. And a $250 fine or contest the charge in the Strongsville Mayor’s Court for the second ticket.  Not to mention that all of this occurred within a single month. When it comes to radar guns, he is two for two.

At a teammate, David Njoku’s celebrity softball game, Shedeur tried to stop the narrative. “I’ve made some wrong choices,” he said. “I learn from them.” Then came the statement that rocked NFL Twitter: “I don’t drive no more. No more.” Before he has even taken an NFL snap, the rookie quarterback for the Browns is formally retiring from driving. But here’s where it really stings: Shedeur is currently QB4, according to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. And two traffic violations won’t exactly speed up his rise. But still, he’s receiving support from a former Deion Sanders adversary over his driving violations.

Deion Sanders’ old rival surprises everyone by backing Shedeur’s speeding saga

It appears that Asante Samuel, who previously roasted Coach Prime in one of the pettiest arguments on NFL Twitter, has moved on. And he is currently sharpening a different blade that is aimed at Shedeur’s detractors. “Every player speeds,” Samuel wrote. “This is normal athlete behavior. But because his last name is Sanders, the haters want to bring as much negative attention as possible. I never seen a community want to tear a player down like we are witnessing.”

And to be honest, Samuel isn’t entirely incorrect. Rookie athletes mess up all the time. Shannon Sharpe himself had two tickets in a span of ten minutes, though not as a rookie, but still. However, Sanders is the son of a Hall of Famer, a viral celebrity, and was recently drafted into the NFL. The world expects prime-time discipline when your father is Coach Prime. Every misstep makes the news. Every error seems scandalous. But Samuel’s comment opens a broader conversation: Are we judging Shedeur too harshly, or is this the reality of being a Sanders?

So while Coach Prime is quietly recovering. His son is faltering in the spotlight. But Shedeur doesn’t have to be flawless if he truly wants to honor his father. He just needs to be present. And disciplined. And maybe consider calling an Uber for a while. Because every news story about careless choices at the moment adds to the already heavy weight of a father who is dealing with enough difficulties.