Deion Sanders ‘Not Very Bright’: Former Buffs Star Unleashes on Coach Prime
A former Colorado Buffaloes player has launched a brutal public critique of head coach Deion Sanders, accusing him of prioritizing style over substance.
Now wait just a minute. You’re trying to tell me ‘Neon Deion,’ ‘Coach Prime,’ is more about looking good than actually being a good coach? You’ve gotta be kidding me.
What’s next? Are you gonna tell me LeBron James is a flopper?
Christian Fauria, a former Colorado tight end from 1990–1994 and a two-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots, appeared on The Zach Gelb Show and did not hold back in his assessment of Sanders’ tenure leading the Buffaloes.
Fauria said he was initially supportive of Sanders’ hiring in December 2022 but has grown disillusioned.
“I’m just not a fan of the coach. I’ll never be a fan of the coach,” he said. “I love the school. This isn’t me picking on Deion Sanders — I pick on Joe Gibbs, too. I just don’t like the way he coaches football. I don’t think he’s very bright. I don’t think he can manage a game. I think there’s a lot of flash, but I think there’s no substance.”
Tell us how you really feel, man. Oh, wait, he did. And he wasn’t done. The former player went further in targeting Sanders’ supporters, suggesting the coach gets by on his popularity.
“He’s got a lot of people that are, like, brainwashed,” Fauria said, adding that the Colorado faithful seem to back Sanders “regardless of how stupid he is sometimes.”
Good Lord. Of course, he’s 100% right. Sanders has a meager 16-21 record at Colorado over three seasons. In conference play, the Buffaloes are 9-18. And, even dating back to his tenure at Jackson State, Deion has never won a bowl game (0-3).
Those kinds of records are grounds for termination for some coaches. Yet Sanders is never really discussed as vulnerable.
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Fauria, who had warned the host that there might not be enough time to share his thoughts, acknowledged the program’s increased visibility under Sanders, including sold-out crowds and widespread media attention. Well, in a backhanded compliment kind of way.
“As time went on, I was just like, wait — none of this makes any sense,” he said of his realization that Prime might not be the guy. “If relevancy means sold-out crowds and people talking about you on Twitter, then congratulations. You’ve achieved it.”
Then, he offered some advice on what Deion could do to change his perception.
“Win games,” Fauria said. “The way you win games. The way you recruit. Know everybody’s name. Give everybody the same attention. Sing the fight song. Learn the fight song.”
“I’m not a fan,” he said. “And I can really care less if anybody likes it or not. My give-a-blank level is zero right now with people caring about my opinion of Deion Sanders.”
It will be interesting to see whether Sanders, who rarely keeps his thoughts to himself, responds to the brutal critique.