$50 million worth Deion Sanders once went on a ballistic rant about players using their phones: “What's so important”
Deion Sanders is known for his strict coaching style, and an incident from his Jackson State days gives insights into how the team operated under his guidance.
After the student-athletes of JSU attained a 56-point win over Florida A&M in September 2022, they were seen relaxing and using their mobile phones. Sanders, who has expressed contempt toward players using their phones in the locker room, could not bear this sight.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer lost his cool and yelled at his players for not enjoying their 59-3 win in the 2022 Orange Blossom Classic. Deion Sanders wanted them to revel in the moment or relax after a passionate game. However, seeing them glued to their phones got him saying:
“What’s so important that you got to check a phone right now. What’s that important other than where you are? This is the moment, stay in it! Lock in.”
Coach Prime's older son, Deion Sanders Jr., recorded the entire incident and shared it on his Instagram account.
It looks like Sanders' stern coaching style worked for him and his team as he quickly became the country's most sought-after college football coach. After joining the program in 2020, he led the Tigers to an impressive 11-2 record. He led Jackson State to a 27-6 record during his three seasons.
Why did Deion Sanders leave Jackson State?
After his three remarkable seasons at Jackson, Sanders decided to ink a deal with Colorado. His exit from the HBCU was met with mixed feelings by many.
Deion Sanders, who is reportedly worth $50 million, aimed to set up a system at JSU that simplified the recruitment process that led players to the NFL. He immediately transformed the JSU football program and established it as a prominent team in the Southwestern Atlantic Conference. So, why did the two-time Super Bowl winner leave Jackson State?
The foremost reason for leaving JSU was the stability of his coaching staff. He found that joining an FBS school would be beneficial for him and his team.
Therefore, when an opportunity from a more established FBS knocked at his door, "Prime Time" did not want to turn it down. However, many thought that Deion Sanders had abandoned the visions he had for the HBCU landscape, to which he said:
“Never once did I say they’re gonna put a tombstone with my name on it at Jackson State. But when I don’t fit into someone else’s plan and purpose, that is ridiculed … You just forgot about my plan, and God’s plan. That’s where the dysfunction comes.”
Under his guidance, JSU appeared at Celebration Bowl twice and also witnessed its first undefeated season.