Colorado head coach Deion Sanders addressed remarks made by Christopher Neely, also known as “Uncle Neely,” who implied Sanders was willing to pay up to $50,000 to quiet his critics. “That was a joke,” Sanders stated to reporters.
Neely, a YouTube content creator, commented during an online roundtable that Sanders, referred to as Coach Prime, had jokingly proposed, “I give you $50,000 to not mention my name for a year.” Despite this, no one accepted the offer.
Sanders appeared to need more context when reporters asked him about what was described as an offer of hush money for detractors of the Colorado program. Neely, who was in the room for Sanders’ weekly news conference, quickly filled him in on the comments.
“Oh no, no, no! I think you misinterpreted that,” Sanders replied. “I said, like some of y’all in here sitting right now, ‘I would love to give you money and not mention my name, and I want to see how far that goes.’ That’s what we were saying. Some people live on your name.”
Reflecting on his experiences, Sanders noted that criticism is familiar. “I would never offer a man money. I don’t give a darn what you say about me,” Sanders said. “That was really a joke about someone prospering off of your name and your brand. I may not like some things you may do or say, but I don’t know you enough to form that opinion.”
Sanders is in his fourth season at Colorado, following a successful period at Jackson State. The Pro Football Hall of Famer elevated Colorado’s profile, achieving nine wins and a bowl appearance in his second year. Last season, Colorado ended with a 3-9 record. This year, the team started 2-0 but then lost five consecutive games. They are set to face Kansas State on Saturday.