“They’re mad as hell”: Deion Sanders Jr. fires back at activists urging Coach Prime to stop blending Christianity with the program
Deion Sanders Jr. is pushing back against critics who want Coach Prime to stop blending his Christian faith with football.
Activists from the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) recently targeted Sanders, filing a four-page complaint accusing him of “unconstitutional religious activities” after a pastor led a team prayer following their Sept. 22 win against Baylor University.
Sanders responded (via X):
“They’re mad as hell.”
According to Belief Net report, the FFRF argues that Coach Sanders’ use of prayer at a public university pressures players who might not share his beliefs, calling it “unconstitutional religious coercion.”
“Coach Sanders’ team is full of young and impressionable student-athletes who would not risk giving up their scholarship, playing time, or a recommendation from the coach by speaking out or opting out of his unconstitutional religious activities – even if they strongly disagree with his beliefs,” the letter stated.
When Sanders became Colorado’s head coach in 2023, similar concerns were raised, leading the university to give him training on religious expression and nondiscrimination.
Despite the FFRF’s stance, Deion Sanders has support from legal experts. The First Liberty Institute, a law firm focusing on religious freedom cases, has backed Sanders’ actions, with attorney Keisha Russell stating that Sanders is within his rights to bring prayer into the locker room.
Deion Sanders welcomed a chaplain to speak to offer a post-game prayer
Deion Sanders welcomed Pastor E. Dewey Smith to offer a post-game prayer after the Colorado Buffaloes' victory against Baylor University on Sept. 22, which sparked a response from the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF).
The organization claims this violates the Constitution, but First Liberty disagrees and has stepped in to clarify that both public prayer and chaplain programs are indeed constitutional.
In a letter to the University, First Liberty addressed FFRF's concerns, asserting that Sanders is not crossing any legal lines by involving a chaplain. “FFRF fumbled the law,” said First Liberty Senior Counsel Keisha Russell, pointing out that the U.S. has a rich tradition of public prayer dating back to 1776. This includes chaplain programs across various public settings like state legislatures, the military, prisons, and hospitals.
The Supreme Court has consistently upheld the constitutionality of chaplaincy programs, even when a single chaplain is selected to lead regular prayers.
Last year, they objected when Deion Sanders expressed gratitude to God after securing his coaching role and invited staff to pray before certain team meetings. They argued that his actions blurred the “Separation of Church and State” and alleged that his approach imposed religion on students.
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