Deion Sanders pens heartfelt letter for son Shilo Sanders on his special day

Deion Sanders is celebrating his son, Shilo Sanders, on his first birthday after his college football career. The safety is set to transition onto the professional stage after a college career that spanned five years. He turned 25 on Sunday, making him one of the oldest players in the draft.

In an Instagram story posted on Sunday, Sanders sent his birthday message to the draft prospect. He called him a “favorite son,” a tag he uses for all of his children on their birthdays. That automatically elevates him to the top spot in Coach Prime's children's ranking.

“Happy Birthday to my favorite son @shilosander,” Deion wrote, captioning a picture of Shilo in Colorado uniform.

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Shilo Sanders wants to step out of Deion Sanders’ shadow

Deion Sanders' sons are frequently linked to their father’s legacy, despite their individual achievements. However, during the East-West Shrine Bowl, Shilo Sanders underscored his commitment to forging his own path, regardless of the obstacles he has encountered.

“I don't call myself Coach Prime's son,” Shilo said. “That's what you're calling me. I've been making a name for myself for a long time. If you want to keep calling me that, then that's cool.

“We're not really focused on that. That's our dad. He's great. If you want to say, 'Those are Prime's sons,' it is what it is. We're all Prime's sons. We're also individuals. We're good at what we do also.”

Prime Time’s impact on the football world is undeniable, both as a player and now as a coach. Nonetheless, Shilo’s remarks highlight the difficulty of establishing his own identity while continually being compared to his father’s legendary career.

Deion Sanders discloses Shilo started as a quarterback

Shilo Sanders is entering the 2025 draft alongside his quarterback brother, Shedeur, who is projected as a top pick. However, Shilo played as a quarterback early in his football journey. Deion Sanders disclosed this on NBC on Friday:

"When he first started. You know, I coached him from youth up. Both of them played QB. Shilo did, too, but there came a time I said, ‘Shilo, look, it's over. It's over. Shedeur is the guy.’

“But I knew early on because his nickname has always been “Grown” because he's always been so mature, and forward thinking, and so thoughtful of situations that he's already visited.”

Sanders was lucky to have the two of them play under him during their college career. Shilo and Shedeur were his players at Jackson State and Colorado, giving them the opportunity to maintain stability in their mentoring from a young age.