NFL Draft prospects are always the subject of heightened media attention in the months before the draft. That has been particularly true for Shedeur and Shilo Sanders, due to their father’s stature and fame within the game. Deion Sanders thrives in the spotlight, as he always did during his playing days, and that doesn’t stop when his sons join him on camera.
That was as evident as ever in a recent video, in which Deion told Shilo that he would buy him a new car if he ran fast enough at his upcoming pro day.
Deion Sanders Banters with Shilo Sanders During a Training Session
On the field, Deion Sanders was the definition of greatness. Two Super Bowls, Eight Pro Bowls, six first-team All-Pro selections, and the 1994 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award, all culminated in Sanders’ Hall Of Fame induction in 2011. Sanders’ 1,331 interception return yards ranks fourth in NFL history.
That greatness is something that Sanders carries with him wherever he goes, and something that he has looked to pass down to his children. Now, as two of his sons prepare for the 2025 NFL Draft in April, Deion isn’t holding back as he looks to motivate them.
In a recent video, Deion turned up to one of Shilo’s strength and conditioning sessions and began bantering his son. After Shilo declared that he could run faster than anybody in the facility, his father was quick to challenge him, pointing out several athletes that were on the track. Shilo wouldn’t be drawn into a race, but the pair continued exchanging jokes at each other’s expense.
After his father bragged about the 4.27-second 40-yard dash he ran at his own combine back in 1989, Shilo joked that there was no evidence to back that claim up.
“There’s no video of you running it… I haven’t talked to anyone that’s ever seen it,” said Shilo. “We’ve seen Muhammad Ali box, but not seen you run a 40. I’ve seen [people] land on the moon, but not you…I’ve seen videos of Malcolm X, but I ain’t seen you run a 40!”
Deion Tells Shilo that He’ll Buy Him a New Car if He Runs a 4.40
One conversation between the pair ended with Deion motivating his son by telling him that he’d buy him a new car if he backed up his speed claims. Shilo had been telling his father that he’d been getting faster every week as he prepared for his college pro day. After his son told him that he’d run a 4.4-second 40-yard dash at his pro day, Deion appeared intrigued by his son’s confidence.
“You say 4.40?” Asked Deion. When his son responded affirmatively, Sanders immediately placed a reward on hitting the target.
“You run a 4.4, I’ll buy you a new car.”
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While many will no doubt view the exchange as further evidence of the Sanders brothers being spoiled, there was something heartwarming about the exchange. In the video, you can see Deion’s intrigue when Shilo declared that he’d achieve the 40 time. Deion’s demeanor immediately switched from one of playful banter with his son to one of seriousness.
Shilo Sanders says Coach Prime will get him a new whip if he runs a 4.4 40 yard dash at Colorado’s pro day.
Should he get another Tesla? pic.twitter.com/iQQM9fZPLA
— Joe Bonham (@JoeBonham15) March 23, 2025
Deion enjoys a playful relationship with his sons, but when Shilo openly declares that he’d set a target for himself, Deion is all business. While some may disagree with his unusually hands-on involvement in his sons’ football careers, there’ll be no arguments that he could have done more for their careers.
Whether Shilo has done enough to earn himself the car will become apparent on April 4th, at his Colorado pro day.