We all know what growing up with four siblings means. Everything turns into a competition. And if you are from the Sanders household, where sports and competitiveness run in the family, things only get elevated. But that shouldn’t mean that the parents pick favorites, right? Well, Deion Sanders disagrees.

It is a norm in the family to rank their kids. Since Pro Bowl nod in his NFL rookie season, Shedeur Sanders took the crown from his brother Deion Sanders Jr. As it turns out, though, the rankings have changed again as the father of five revealed on Thursday.

“#1 Kid! @DeionSandersJr @WellOffmedia on @YouTube Love You son. #Dad,” wrote Deion Sanders on X, sharing a picture of his eldest son on a private jet.

Coach Prime and his girlfriend, Karrueche Tran, along with Deion Sanders Jr., were traveling to St. Croix looking to add an estate to their name there. The reason for this new ranking, though, isn’t known yet. However, it could be that Jr. agreed to go with the couple to film the entire journey before they settle on a place to call home. While the home may change, the traditions are clearly going to continue in the Sanders family.

Unlike many parents who rank their kids secretly but deny it publicly, Deion Sanders has always accepted his ways, even if the procedure to come up with the end result is not that easy.

“It’s tough. My kids’ rankings are tough,” Sanders once said in September 2023. “I’m the only one that’s honest about ranking my kids. You guys act like you all love them the same and you don’t.”

But this is not the first time Deion Jr. has secured the top position. Before that, last August, for Deion’s 58th birthday, Bucky was again ranked No. 1, specifically for looking after his brother Shedeur during the NFL preseason. Then, last May, Deion Jr. returned to the top spot, being named the “MVP of all my kids.”

Back in 2023, on Deion Jr.’s 30th birthday, “Coach Prime” declared his eldest son the “favorite son” and the No. 1 kid in the rankings, citing his excellent work as the creative director for Well Off Media. Although the 32-year-old never played in the NFL, what he’s built off the field is turning heads in a whole different way.

As the creative force behind Well Off Media, he’s become the engine driving the Sanders family’s digital presence. Bucky has captured Deion Sanders’s rise at Colorado. From press conferences to rocking a custom Browns jersey in support of his brother, Shedeur, he has been the one covering everything.

Last February, the channel reached a significant milestone of 500,000 subscribers, and as of now, it has approximately 648,000 subscribers. And if you look at it, this achievement still doesn’t guarantee a permanent top spot in Deion Sanders’ favorite-child rankings.

When Shedeur Sanders once climbed to No. 1 after his rookie NFL success, Deion Jr. sat as low as No. 4. The girls have competed, too.

Deiondra Sanders held the spot after becoming a mother, while Shelomi was considered the “favorite” after scoring a career-high 14 points for the Alabama A&M women’s basketball team.

Then, Shilo Sanders also held that spot back in 2023. At that time, Deion Sanders officially declared Shilo as the No. 1 kid in his rankings following several of his strong defensive performances for Colorado, including a standout game against Colorado State, where he returned an interception for a TD.

Still, for Deion Sanders, one could argue that his youngest son, Shedeur, now making waves in the NFL, might be his favorite.

But here, the rankings are always updated based on their milestones in life. Shedeur has lost his top spot this time, but his NFL journey seems set to take a bright turn next season.

All eyes on Shedeur Sanders

Sanders’ ranking in the eyes of Deion almost fell as the entire family waited for a call to come in April 2025. His projected value as the top five pick crashed brutally all the way to day five, where the Cleveland Browns finally drafted him. In every way possible, the path to influencing the team was tough for Shedeur. Not only did the team carry a baggage of multiple losing seasons, but its QB room was filled with four other available quarterbacks, including fellow rookie QB Dillon Gabriel, whom the head coach already preferred.

But as soon as Shedeur got his first opportunity in Week 11, as Gabriel left under concussion protocol, he did not take time to show what he’s got.

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The team lost, of course. But Sanders showed the ability to think right under pressure, throw on long routes, and use his legs to move the chains. He proved himself better than Gabriel in every way, so the team eventually moved him to QB1.

Sanders ended with three wins in seven starts. It is a bad stat, but it is better than what any other QB gave the Browns. Entering the 2026 season, the No. 12 now leads the QB race with veteran Deshaun Watson returning from his injury.

But with the new head coach, Todd Monken, showing a preference to Sanders, Berea already cheering his name, and his own will to remain competitive, that hurdle can be crossed. Radio hosts Anthony Lima and Ken Carman both pointed to one key offseason decision: the Browns’ passing on free agent Malik Willis.

“For Shedeur Sanders, it is a massive win,” said Lima, noting that adding another QB could have complicated the picture. Then, Carman echoed the sentiment, adding, “I really do think it’s Shedeur’s job to lose.”

While the buzz is growing around Sanders, Monken will ultimately make the call. Meanwhile, one question remains: could Shedeur becoming a QB1 for good also get him to Deion’s top rankings? It probably will.