Tim Tebow Reveals How Deion Sanders Helped Him After College: 'He Would Go Out of His Way' - Flashback
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
Flashy Deion Sanders is right at home in a place like Colorado, where sports excitement can be as high as the Denver-area altitudes.
That’s basically the assessment of Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, himself a former Denver Bronco.
What’s more, 14-year NFL veteran “Prime” Sanders as head coach has not only begun turning around the University of Colorado Buffalos, he’s also just a remarkable individual, according to Tebow.
“I think you see it in his players. I think you see it in his coaches. I think you see it in the people when they’ve been around him,” he told Fox News Digital.
“I’ve been friends with Prime for quite a while now since, honestly, the end of college or early time in the NFL,” according to Tebow.
“He was just so encouraging, so supportive, so kind,” he continued. “[He] always gave me words of encouragement or words of wisdom. And, honestly, he would go out of his way to do it in a very nice way. Not just, like, when cameras are there doing it, but behind the scenes.”
Last year, the pair did an event together and Tebow noted how evident it was that Sanders “loves people. He cares about people.”
“At this event, he went out of his way … to answer questions, encourage people, care for people.” Tebow said.
Tebow said he loved seeing Sanders’ success “because he’s willing to do it a different way.
“And he’s willing to do it his way, which Prime always has,” according to Tebow, noting that Sanders loves young men and has said he wants to turn them from boys into men.
“I really believe that he means that,” he said. “And I think he’s going to make them a better version of a football player, but also a better version of a young man.”
With the Buffalos’ suffering through a 1-22 season in 2022, Sanders became Colorado head coach in December of that year, bringing a record of 27-6 in three seasons coaching Jackson State.
He began the CU 2023 season with three consecutive wins; the Buffalos were currently at 4-3 at the time this article was written.
Known as “Neon Deion,” “Prime Time” and “Coach Prime,” Sanders is a media natural, with not only a long NFL career, but also nine seasons playing Major League Baseball. He has also been a sports analyst, rap singer and reality show star.
Described by Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys as a “hell of a coach,” Sanders could end up at the NFL or a larger school, according to Tebow.
“I would say: What is his heart’s desire? Is it to stay? It is to go to another school? Is it to go to the NFL?” Tebow told Fox News.
“I think he could probably have offers to do a lot of different things. But I would just encourage him to — like he always would — just follow his heart, and what that means.”
And Colorado could be the perfect launching pad to further Sanders’ career.
“I love the excitement that he’s having in Boulder and in Colorado,” Tebow said.
“I was just there the last two days, not on campus, but in Colorado, and they always have had passionate fans, especially for the Broncos.
“But how excited they were for the CU game this weekend, and I know it’s a rivalry and in-state schools, but they love it. They’re passionate about it. I think he’s building a fan base. I think he’s letting them be passionate about Colorado, like they were when I was young in like my early days.
“I kind of love the excitement it’s created there.”
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