You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. Conceded, Shilo Sanders has benefited from being the son of one of the greatest players to ever grace the sport. While partisan and, frankly, prejudicial allegations of nepotism are overblown, there is a tangible correlation. That said, Deion Sanders’ influence ceased at the doorstep of the NFL. Getting through the door, drinking the water as the proverbial horse, was always going to strictly be on merit. Which, to his credit, Shilo accomplished. His tryst with being a pro footballer is now realized, and his old man is brimming with pride.
Shilo Sanders went undrafted, something that was well within the realm of possibilities. Unfortunately for the budding new safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the full scope of Deion Sanders’ athletic enterprise didn’t quite permeate over to him. Shilo may have received the short stick in the genetic sweepstakes relative to his brother Shedeur Sanders. But that hasn’t deterred him. After signing on with the Bucs as an UFA, Shilo impressed in rookie minicamp. Enough to officially earn him his first NFL contract. The details of which are now public and are being propagated by Deion.
Upon the verbiage of the contract being agreed and every wrinkle being ironed out, Shilo Sanders has penned a 3 year, $2.965 million rookie-scale contract with the Bucs. A healthy, substantial figure for anybody. Even somebody who comes from generational wealth. In the aftermath of this, Deion Sanders took to his IG handle to share a heartfelt message for his son. He posted the screenshot of a graphic relaying the exact figure and a picture of Shilo, alongside a caption that encapsulates their dynamic.
“I’m so Proud of @shilosanders! He’s focused, dedicated & hungry. I can’t wait to see the product he puts on the field. They have REAL PURPOSE & yall know why. #Dad/CoachPrime,” wrote Deion Sanders. The last bit, where he signs off as both dad and Coach Prime, is particularly profound. Deion has coached his sons along every step of their journey. Most players reach a juncture where they diverge from their fathers and need professional coaching to ascend to the next level. But in this scenario, the lines remained blurred throughout. So Deion Sanders can actually pat himself on the back, being both the father and head coach of a freshly minted pro. That said, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.
The gulf between the collegiate game and the NFL has been decreasing over the years. The two rungs of the footballing ladder will always have some separation, but they’re closer than ever. The advent of NIL has fanned the flames of this evolution for College Football. To the point where, fascinatingly, Shilo Sanders’ step forward actually entails a backward step veiled behind it from a financial standpoint.
Diverging from Deion Sanders winds up affecting Shilo Sanders’ pockets
Imagine telling this to someone a decade or so ago. But Shilo Sanders stands to make less money in the NFL than he did as a student-athlete in college. The deficit? A gaudy six-figure sum that contextualizes how far CFB has really come. As well as how much of a brand members of the Sanders clan are, individually and collectively.
As aforementioned, Shilo Sanders has signed a 3-year deal. The annual salary he’d rake in will scale as the years pass. They’re also subject to the salary cap, of course. But viewing his rookie season earnings in a vacuum, Shilo is going to earn $840,524 in 2025. On3 estimates his NIL valuation to be $1.1 million. Hence, he’ll make about $260k less relative to his earnings with Colorado. This figure of $840k will get bumped up to $1.005 million and $1.1 million, respectively, in ‘26 and ‘27. Any contemporary of his drafted after round 3 is going to make the same amount as Shilo each year. The only difference is that they’ll have an additional 4th year on the back end.
Alas, even pull-back cars need to go backwards before they can zoom forwards. Shilo Sanders wouldn’t be too bothered in the grand scheme of things. The real payday is if and when you make it to your second contract in the NFL. Reaching that stage has got to the the updated goal now that he’s got his foot through the door. As for Deion Sanders, he’ll seek to vicariously guide his son towards the sort of eminence and stature he conjured for himself. The signs bode well for Shilo to legitimize his NFL status and really be a contributor on the field for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Something he may not have had the opportunity to do elsewhere.
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