The NFL spotlight won’t be leaving the Sanders family any time soon, and that fact was clear after a drama-filled weekend. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released Shilo Sanders following a rocky preseason finale. It didn’t take long for former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown to seize the moment and sound off.
Why Did Antonio Brown Go After the Sanders Family Following Shilo Sanders’ Release?
Brown, the former Steelers star, zeroed in on Shilo, Shedeur, and their dad, Deion Sanders, with a post on X.
It all happened just hours after Shilo was ejected against the Buffalo Bills for swinging at tight end Zach Davidson. Brown wasted no time and weighed in with his own blunt take.
His post on X said, “Whole Sanders fam gonna end up getting cut out the league…”
Whole Sanders fam gonna end up getting cut out the league…
— AB (@AB84) August 24, 2025
This came as Tampa Bay moved on from the rookie safety, who had signed back in April after going undrafted. Shilo’s preseason wrapped up on a rough note, beginning with a quick pass interference penalty, the second-quarter ejection, and then his release.
For Brown, the whole saga was just more fuel for a feud that’s been stewing for months. Way back in May, he brought up old footage of himself torching a teenage Shilo in practice, poked fun at Deion’s impact on the game, and questioned whether his sons have been getting an easier path because of their dad.
Saturday’s ejection was just about the last thing a rookie fighting to make a roster could afford. After Davidson blocked him hard through the whistle, Shilo responded by swinging at Davidson’s helmet right in front of an official. The unnecessary roughness flag came out, and he was tossed from the game as the Bills’ tight end celebrated with a “too small” gesture.
Head coach Todd Bowles didn’t hold his tongue in his postgame remarks: “You can’t throw punches in this league. I mean, that’s inexcusable. They’re gonna get you every time. Gotta grow from that.”
Listed third on the Bucs’ safety depth chart, Shilo was already working against the odds. Bowles had pointed out the preseason finale as being do-or-die for young players trying to stick around on special teams. Instead, it all unraveled with the ejection and the release.
Shilo’s road to the league took him through two years at South Carolina, then a transfer to Jackson State to play for his dad, and finally a stop at Colorado. At 6’0”, 195 pounds, he picked up 67 tackles in 2024.
Brown didn’t stop with Shilo. In his posts that followed, he suggested Browns rookie Shedeur could be next, connecting both brothers’ futures to their dad’s image. “Not even there [their] fault @nfl couldn’t humble there [their] dad, so they will repay, Kids,” Brown posted.
Whether Deion decides to answer back remains a question. He stayed out of any major dustups before, wishing Brown well after previous jabs. Now, though, with Shilo cut and Shedeur stepping into a huge rookie year in Cleveland, the Sanders family keeps making headlines, with Brown continuing to stir up controversy.
