Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes are looking to put last season’s disappointing three-win campaign behind them. Though the team’s offseason moves have birthed optimism, Coach Prime is also dealing with a difficult situation off the field involving his son, Shilo Sanders.
Amid Shilo’s ongoing legal troubles, the Colorado head coach has made it clear that he continues to stand by and support his son throughout the challenging journey.
Deion Sanders’ Emotional Plea for Shilo Comes Amid High-Stakes Court Battle
Shilo is attempting to escape more than $11 million in debt, leading him to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2023. Nearly the entire amount stems from a legal judgment involving John Darjean, a former security guard at his school in Dallas.
Darjean filed a lawsuit against Coach Prime’s son in 2016, alleging that Shilo assaulted him and left him with permanent injuries during an incident in 2015. According to the allegations, the confrontation occurred after Darjean attempted to take Shilo’s cellphone at the direction of Coach Prime.
The case returned to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Denver on Monday, where depositions from witnesses were presented on the opening day of a trial. That ruling could decide whether Shilo remains responsible for paying Darjean the amount despite his bankruptcy filing.
As Shilo braces himself for a legal battle, Coach Prime sent a prayer to his son.
“Praying for my baby,” Coach Prime said. “Praying that people see what really transpired. We’re gonna forgive you for your judgment.”
Deion Sanders sends a prayer to his son Shilo, who starts his trial today 😮👀
The Sanders family denies allegations from a security guard at Shilo’s old school accusing him of assaulting him in 2015 when he tried to confiscate his phone, and they will be risking $11 million… pic.twitter.com/d9ahLz17Sa
— Slime🐍 (@ItsKingSlime) August 31, 2026
Shilo appeared in bankruptcy court on Monday wearing a dark suit with a white-collared shirt. The proceedings are reportedly expected to last as many as five days and will focus heavily on what happened at his Dallas school when Shilo was 15 years old.
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Shilo didn’t testify on Monday, but several other witnesses testified through prerecorded depositions.
His attorney, Victor Vital, argued that Darjean was the person who physically overpowered Sanders and added that video evidence would show that Shilo initially attempted to escape the confrontation without physically hurting the security guard.
However, per The Denver Post, Darjean’s attorney, Ori Raphael, presented prerecorded testimony from four witnesses who identified Shilo as the aggressor during the incident.
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“Mr. Darjean had supervisory care of Shilo Sanders, and he was doing his job,” Raphael said. “Self-defense does not apply.”
The bankruptcy case hinges on an important provision of U.S. law.
Debts stemming from a “willful and malicious injury” generally cannot be erased through Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Judge Michael E. Romero will therefore have to determine whether Shilo acted willfully and maliciously during the 2015 confrontation.
The legal battle comes at a difficult time for Coach Prime, with Colorado preparing to begin its 2026 season Thursday night against Georgia Tech. The Colorado head coach could potentially be called to testify in his son’s case shortly after the Buffaloes’ season opener.
