When Deion Sanders showed up at the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus to speak to Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken, the new HC praised him as “Part coach, part father,” and revealed that he had received a lot of insights from Coach Prime on how to get the best out of Shedeur Sanders. But many called out Deion, and by extension, Shedeur, for Coach Prime going there. Former NFL safety Ryan Clark heard that noise and decided to speak up against it.

“I think the first thing is, just because I’m an extremely successful human doesn’t mean I should support my children any less,” Clark said on The Pivot Podcast. “Deion Sanders has not only been there for Shedeur Sanders as a father since birth, he coached in high school with him. They moved to Jackson State together. They moved to Colorado together. When you think about parenting, when you think about pouring into your seeds, that’s what it’s supposed to look like. That would be the epitome of what it’s supposed to be.

“And there’s this negativity, and there’s this hate that surrounds Deion Sanders. And I do believe it’s because of unabashed, or unashamed greatness, of being great, of working towards excellence, and being comfortable in your own skin.”

When reports of Deion visiting Berea came out, former Browns linebacker Emmanuel Acho was one of the many who criticized the move. But when reporters had asked Deion for comments on that day, he’d politely refused, noting “I’m just here to watch.” Clark makes the case that this is nothing out of the ordinary, and even invokes the legendary quarterback Archie Manning, who often showed up to support his kids, Peyton and Eli Manning, on their respective football journeys. As Clark went on, he lauded Deion for showing up once again.

“Deion is doing exactly what you’re supposed to do when you have a level of cache that allows your sons or allows your children to receive a platform and then take advantage of it in the ways that they should,” Clark said. “Deion Sanders ain’t the only daddy at practice. Every training camp we go to, there are parents, there are children, there are spouses who are on the field after practices supporting their loved ones. And that’s all that Deion Sanders is doing.

“Because I’m famous, should I not support? Because I’m one of the greatest football players that’s ever lived, should I not support? Because I’m one of the more famous and recognizable humans in the athletic world, should I not support? And newsflash, Colorado was not practicing. He did not miss anything to go support his child. And so, for me, Deion, thank you for continuing to show us what a present and active father should be.”

Now, in his defense, Deion has also noted he went to the Browns training camp to “see his baby cause I don’t know when I’m going to see him again.” As Shedeur fights for the starting job, Deion has his own Colorado team to focus on. Shedeur’s last name has been circling media headlines ever since he declared for the 2025 NFL draft last season, and with all the negativity still surrounding the young quarterback, his father’s presence at camp would have been the perfect boost he needs right now.

Deion Sanders would have shown up last season as well, had the previous regime contacted him. But with that visit finally under the belt, Todd Monken now has the perfect tools to turn Shedeur Sanders into a starting quarterback. The young signal-caller has clarified on multiple occasions that he doesn’t let the outside noise get to him. That’s showing up clearly at camp as he outplays his competition, Deshaun Watson. Whether this ends with Shedeur under center in September or not, we know his father will be rooting for him every step of the way.