On the momentous occasion of Father’s Day, three of college football’s most iconic coaches, Nick Saban, Warren Sapp, and Coach Prime, offered a rare glimpse behind the whistle. These larger-than-life figures, known for their toughness and leadership on the field, revealed their softer sides through heartfelt moments with their children. Guess how Nick Saban was known in college football when he was at Bama? It was the image of a strict disciplinarian who was known for his fiery locker room attitude. But at his daughter, Kristen’s, wedding, we got to see a wholly different Saban at Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2015.
“I guess I’m supposed to be giving a speech up here tonight to give my daughter away, but if you know me, I don’t give anything away… We don’t give any points away. We don’t give any shots away on the golf course. I still have my high school jersey,” said an emotional Saban that day. These were rare emotions pouring from a father to her daughter, whom he loved dearly. Coach Prime, in that sense, is also quite lucky in this regard.
Deion Sanders is easily one of the most recognizable names in America. After his arrival, the Colorado program went from obscurity to finish 9-4, which was big. It was possible due to his leadership and uncompromising attitude. But when it comes to his daughters, Deiondra and Shelomi, comprise is the only thing he does. For instance, when Shelomi transferred from Colorado, Coach Prime didn’t like it, but his love for her finally made him accept the move. Both Saban and Sanders have daughters who openly cherish their bond with their fathers.
Kristen Saban took to Instagram and posted several pictures of herself from different moments of her life. In one of the pictures, Saban is seen hugging her daughter, and in another, they are both smiling in front of the camera. However, the most adorable photos are probably those with Saban’s grandson, James, sitting calmly in Saban’s lap as Saban sits on a boat. The pictures are adorable and a beautiful reminder to us that even the toughest legends have tender hearts when it comes to family. As for Coach Prime? He got a lavish celebration!!
Coach Prime shared four pictures from his home as his family, including his daughter, organized a party for him on Father’s Day. He showed us glimpses of the decor and a banner that reads, “Happy Father’s Day.” Deiondra can be seen sitting beside the table as Snow is adorably crawling all over the table. But amongst these Father’s Day wishes, Warren Sapp, the Colorado pass rush coordinator, also got a heartfelt message from his daughter.
Sapp’s daughter, Mercedes Sapp, shared a throwback picture when she was an infant with a young Sapp holding her in his arms. She wrote, “Happy Father’s Day to you Papa…We miss you, love you, and hope that we’re making you proud! Thank you for always letting me know that you’re near.” The message reflects how deep the bond is, despite Sapp being at Boulder, far away from his daughters. But Mercedes’ affection for her father didn’t stop there.
Warren Sapp gets a message of approval from her daughter
We all know that Warren Sapp and Deion Sanders’ connection goes way back, and Coach Prime was the one who ultimately invited him to the coaching world. However, now that he is in Colorado, his sole attention is on coaching football, except going fishing, maybe, which we see him do from time to time. This time, he used his leisure time for a whole other sport and finally got his daughter’s approval on that.
Sapp recently posted a video of himself on Instagram not enjoying some time playing pickleball. The NFL Hall of Fame DL captioned the video, “We was working it!! @profootballhof and Fatboy!!#SappNotFishing.” Well, it’s a change of scenery as Sapp chose to play pickleball and didn’t go fishing, which is rare. I mean, it was on a fishing trip that Deion Sanders invited Sapp to Jackson State; that’s how passionate Sapp is for fishing. But now that he was playing pickleball, his daughter commented with a message of approval.
Sapp’s daughter, Mercedes Sapp, chimed in and showed her approval in just a single word. “Niceeeee!!!” That’s the ultimate validation Sapp must have required as he entered an unfamiliar territory, right? There was even some playful speculation that Deion might follow suit and pick up pickleball himself. His response to this? Pure conviction and classic Coach Prime: “”. The banter between Sapp and Sanders never takes a day off, but on this Father’s Day, the world witnessed a genuine, unfiltered glimpse into the lives of football’s fiercest leaders, beyond the bravado and headlines, as fathers first.
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