Shilo Sanders ultimately chose football as his career, starring at Jackson State and later Colorado before entering the 2025 NFL Draft. But during his high school years, the 26-year-old had another passion besides anchoring his father Deion Sanders’ defense: boxing.

However, his love for the sport and his boxing skills reportedly led to an unfortunate incident, as Shilo allegedly knocked out one of his football coaches in the locker room, according to his former teammate and emerging hip-hop artist, HeadHuncho Amir.

“I thought Shilo was going to be a boxer…I remember when we was in 10th grade, I was going to Deion’s school, we in 10th grade. Bro knocked out one of the coaches in a football locker room. Shilo used to bring the gloves to practice. He used to bring the gloves to school every day, have them in his trunk. One of the coaches was really bullshitting with him,” Amir revealed.

“Shilo bring the gloves in the locker room, and Shilo like, ‘We can get in the gloves,’ so, coach’s like, ‘I beat your a–, you know, what I’m saying?’ We’re in 10th grade though. We young. This a grown man. This is tenth grader. So I’m like, ‘Nah, Shilo chill.’ When they got in the gloves, coach like, took on off on him, like, went to swinging on him like, rushed him, and Shilo just like side-stepped him and just knocked him out.”

While Amir didn’t reveal the coach’s identity or what happened afterwards, one thing is clear: had he not pursued football, Shilo Sanders may have had a promising future in boxing. During his time at Colorado in 2024, a viral clip of Sanders showcasing his boxing skills as a child only reinforced that belief.

In the video, Shilo could be seen fighting in a ring, with Deion Sanders supporting his elder son. And it won’t be unfair to say that Coach Prime was proud and excited, as his son defeated his opponent.

“My baby did so well. I might be sitting on a young [Floyd] Mayweather,” Deion said after the fight, while also adding, “It’s sort of like being a father at a faster pace because you’re like, ‘Okay, right there. Okay, done. Don’t do this. Do that, do that.’ Fascinating,'” when asked about his experience as a father of a young boxer.

But boxing never became Shilo Sanders’ career. The 26-year-old played football under his dad’s guidance in Trinity Christian High School, before eventually playing defense at Jackson State and Colorado with Deion Sanders serving as his and brother Shedeur’s head coach.

However, Shilo failed to establish himself in football, going undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft. Although the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed him as an undrafted free agent, they released him during the final roster cuts. Since then, Shilo has continued searching for his next opportunity in the NFL.