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Deion Sanders Kicks Players Off Colorado Team After Loss
Confirmed
In Short: Colorado coach Deion Sanders dismissed multiple players from the team following a 41-7 loss to Northwestern.
Deion Sanders, the coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, dismissed several players from the team after a 41-7 loss to Northwestern on Saturday.
Sanders told reporters Tuesday that 'a few guys' have been removed for conduct detrimental to the team, including linebacker Tyler Martinez and defensive back Randon Fontenette.
The dismissals came after Sanders observed players laughing and joking on the sideline during the loss, which he found unacceptable.
Sanders emphasized during his first team meeting in December 2022 that he expected a certain set of standards from his players, and anyone who did not meet them would be dismissed.
The coach's decision to dismiss players after the season started raised questions about the pressure he is under following a 3-9 finish in 2025.
Heading into his fourth year with the Buffaloes, Sanders has a record of 18-22.
The dismissals are also a response to a pregame video that went viral, showing Colorado players mocking Northwestern’s temporary stadium.
Sanders expressed respect for Northwestern and acknowledged the need to correct the team's behavior.
The coach noted that Colorado's offense has struggled, averaging roughly 9-10 points a game against real competition.
Some supporters celebrated the dismissals as an example of accountability, while others questioned Sanders' leadership.
Sanders admitted that the number of players showing up late for breakfast and meetings has been reduced by '80 percent,' indicating ongoing issues with team discipline.
Critics argue that Sanders should take full accountability for the team's behavior and make it clear that players did not meet the standard of the CU football program.
What this adds
The exact number of players dismissed and their specific roles on the team remain unclear.
The impact of these dismissals on the team's performance and morale remains to be seen.
The broader implications for Sanders' tenure and the program's future are still being debated.
What's confirmed
- Deion Sanders, the coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, dismissed several players from the team after a 41-7 loss to Northwestern on Saturday.
- Sanders told reporters Tuesday that 'a few guys' have been removed for conduct detrimental to the team, including linebacker Tyler Martinez and defensive back Randon Fontenette.
- The dismissals came after Sanders observed players laughing and joking on the sideline during the loss, which he found unacceptable.
- Sanders emphasized during his first team meeting in December 2022 that he expected a certain set of standards from his players, and anyone who did not meet them would be dismissed.
- The coach's decision to dismiss players after the season started raised questions about the pressure he is under following a 3-9 finish in 2025.
- Heading into his fourth year with the Buffaloes, Sanders has a record of 18-22.
- The dismissals are also a response to a pregame video that went viral, showing Colorado players mocking Northwestern’s temporary stadium.
- Sanders expressed respect for Northwestern and acknowledged the need to correct the team's behavior.
- The coach noted that Colorado's offense has struggled, averaging roughly 9-10 points a game against real competition.
- Some supporters celebrated the dismissals as an example of accountability, while others questioned Sanders' leadership.
- Sanders admitted that the number of players showing up late for breakfast and meetings has been reduced by '80 percent,' indicating ongoing issues with team discipline.
- Critics argue that Sanders should take full accountability for the team's behavior and make it clear that players did not meet the standard of the CU football program.
What's still developing
- He told the assembled group of players that "I'm bringing my luggage with me and it's Louis (Vuitton)." Coach Prime made it clear he expected a certain set of standards, and anybody who didn't meet them would be surplus to requirements.
- Dismissing players after the season kicked off will always raise some questions, though.
- What went wrong? | Shapiro and Piro | 19 mins Deion Sanders said Saturday night he was going to put his foot in it, not on it.
- “There’s a few guys who aren’t on the team anymore, just so you know,” Sanders said.
- Sanders said Saturday he couldn’t understand it.
- “It’s never one,” Sanders said of whatever threshold was crossed.
- Players were caught on camera calling the place trash before a game in which they got run out of it.
- He told the Associated Press before this season that he had “everybody in that locker room because we said we want them. I sat there and watched tape on them and said, ‘That’s who I want, that’s what I want. Let’s go get them.’ ” Sanders handpicked them.
- The players, he said, must be driven to do extra conditioning and watch more film.
- That number is alarming, and the idea that this program can be fixed under Sanders’ leadership is being questioned more openly than ever before.
- And in his fourth year, Sanders walked off the soggy turf at Northwestern tallying up who fought and who quit.
- That this still remains a question after the latest humiliating loss traces back to Sanders.