Deion Sanders is now a national icon and has amassed significant wealth in his years as both a head coach and a player. So much so that Nike has dedicated several sneakers to Deion Sanders’ name, showing his lasting legacy in football. But long before the lights and fame, in 1974, a 7-year-old Coach Prime was growing up in tough circumstances. His mother, Connie Knight, worked tirelessly to provide for him, even if that meant taking jobs others looked down on. Deion has openly shared how he was once mocked by teammates because of the work his mother did, a moment that left a lasting mark. Yet it’s her resilience and sacrifice that helped shape the man he became.
“I was ashamed of my mama because my mama worked in the hospital… who sacrificed, who loved me, who protected me,” said Deion Sanders. As a seven-year-old, it might have been hard for Coach Prime to understand his mother’s sacrifices, but still, the fire to let himself and his mother out of that environment was burning ferociously. “Mama, I’m going to make a lot of money, & you will never have to work another day,” promised Deion Sanders as a seven-year-old to his mother, Connie Knight. And now?
The Sanders family now has everything, and Coach Prime’s relationship is much stronger and deeper with his mother. And it comes in different colors and flavors, as Coach Prime told a hilarious story about his mother’s antics. “She wanted to go to the daycare, nursing home,” said Deion Sanders about his mother. Coach Prime agreed with his mother’s request, though. But with a condition.
The Buffs’ head coach had a bet going on at the time about how long his mother would stay at the nursing home. And guess what? Coach Prime predicted accurately. “We had a family bet. My sister Tracy said, How long? One week.” His other sister guessed “three weeks,” but Deion knew his mom a little too well as compared to his siblings. “And I said, One Day,” recalled Deion Sanders hilariously. And it was just one day, as Deion Sanders predicted accurately about the duration of his mother’s stay at the nursing home. Moreover, Deion Sanders even expanded on the reason as to how he predicted it correctly.
“I knew my mom. I knew she wasn’t going to like food. And I knew she was going to find something. And what happened? Like good kids, we went there to see Mom on her first day of school… Now, all of a sudden, she wanted to go. She wanted to go home. She was ready to go,” said Deion Sanders, as others burst into laughter in the video Coach Prime posted on his Instagram post. But the plot twist? Now, after coming back from the daycare, Coach Prime’s mother wants to go back again!
“You had a good time?” asked Coach Prime, and his mother quickly replied, “Very good time. That’s right. I’m going back tomorrow. I mean Friday.” Well, it’s hard to predict how long Coach Prime’s mother will stay this time. Maybe one or two days again. But one thing is clear: that the bond between the Sanders family is all-time strong, and the love Coach Prime carries for his mother shows in every aspect, even in jokes, right?
Coach Prime gives an emotional tribute to his mother
Coach Prime’s journey to become a household name started back in 1989, when he was picked 5th overall in the NFL draft. And this was also the year when Coach Prime retired his mother from working anymore, and that continues even today. “My mother has not worked since 1989, when I signed the dotted line for the Atlanta Falcons,” said Coach Prime. It’s a milestone that everyone would want to take inspiration from, and it’s a story that will be remembered for years. For now, though, Coach Prime is continuing to show his love for his mother.
“Ma, this ain’t a letter, it’s a testimony. You saw me when they didn’t see me, know me or believe in me. You saw that I had a dream, a vision, a desire. You are a role model of consistency. Thank you mom for just being you. Ain’t no mama like you. I love you mom,” wrote Deion Sanders as Nike dedicated a limited edition pair to his mother.
Currently, despite Connie’s plans to move to a daycare home, it seems Coach Prime would be keeping her close to himself. Not just because Coach Prime loves her, but also because his sister Tracy predicted that she’ll come back by 4 PM, as everyone went into laughter. The moments also show Coach Prime’s incredible recovery from bladder cancer as he is coming back to his usual self and getting ready to take up the head coaching duties again.
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