Deion Sanders returns to Colorado class as Professor Prime with advice for students

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders was back in class this week as Professor Prime, this time with lessons for University of Colorado students about self-identity, California taxes and getting to bed by 7 p.m.

Sanders spoke to the class in Tuesday, April 21, marking the third consecutive year he's spoke to the class that was named after him and inspired by him at Colorado - a class entitled Prime Time: Public Performance and Leadership."

He arrived there by golf cart accompanied by his bodyguard and proceeded to hold court with students about his NFL and Major League Baseball careers while also fielding questions from them, as documented by his son Deion Jr. on YouTube. Sanders, 58, has spoken to the class several times since it started in 2024 and is among a number of guest faculty to speak in it.

Here are some of the stories and advice he shared Tuesday:

Deion Sanders tells students to 'quit trippin'

Sanders told the students that the general problems they have now are small in the grand scheme of things: breakups, college class issues, etc. He said they complain too much and need to quit trippin.'"

You're dealing with petty stuff" said Sanders, who recently finished his fourth spring practice season in Boulder. Then we claim mental health, and it ain't mental health. It's you. I'm going to say that again: It's you. You know why I know it's you? Because when everything going good, you ain't (saying), Oh man, mentally I'm really healthy right now.' I've never heard nobody say that when it's going really, really good.

But when it goes bad, you blame something. You want you want to blame something. And this generation is better than that. Like, you guys are smarter, more intelligent, more insightful. Like, you traveled and visited more places. You're having opportunities that we would never been afforded. And you complain too dern much. Like, quit tripping. Like, I'm serious. Quit trippin' and man up. Woman up. Do the doggone thing. And tell your parents you love them."

Deion Sanders explains how California living factored in career decision

Colorado associate professor Rick Stevens asked Sanders about his move from the San Francisco 49ers to the Dallas Cowboys in 1995. Sanders told him he considered signing with the Oakland Raiders as an NFL free agent instead of Dallas but didn't in part because of the high cost of living in California. He was coming off a Super Bowl win with San Francisco earlier that year.

I didn't buy a home in California," Sanders recalled in the class. It was crazy. ... Oakland offered me the most money in my free agency, but it was too expensive. I calculated the expenses and the taxes, and I said, No, I'm not doing that. I'd rather go to Texas.' There's no state (income) tax. Cost of living is phenomenal. And ... to me at that point in time is a better place to raise my kids."

He signed with the Cowboys instead and won another Super Bowl there. Sanders still owns an estate outside of Dallas.

Still 'angry' about the NFL draft last year

The memory of his quarterback son Shedeur's disappointing experience in last year's draft still stings. Shedeur Sanders was projected as a first-round pick last year but fell to the fifth round instead. A year later, the NFL draft starts Thursday.

They got the draft coming up, right?" Sanders asked. I'm still angry about the last year's draft, so I'm not even watching." He laughed and then proceeded to tell the story about how he got drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 1989.

Deion Sanders in bed by 7

One student asked him if it was difficult for him to figure out who he was away from the spotlight when he was putting on a persona for the news media and television cameras.

Sanders responded that there always was a distinct difference" between his Prime" public personality and himself.

Like even right now I'm not probably who you think I am until I told you I didn't drink or smoke and use profanity," Sanders said. You didn't know that. I'm in bed by what time, son?"

Oh, 7," his eldest son Deion Jr. replied.

They know not to call me after that," Deion Sr. said of his children. Like, this is the persona, but this is the man."

He offered a similar example: Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger is not the Terminator. He's Arnold Schwarzenegger."

Sanders explains lesson he learned about quarterbacks

Another student asked Sanders about learning and staying in love with the game of football while it changes. Sanders replied with an example from last year, when he coached for the first time without his son Shedeur playing quarterback for him.

I was in a situation that I had the luxury of having a guy that had my last name that played quarterback," Sanders said. I hadn't worried about that position since he was 5."

He said he learned last year how valuable that position really is." After Shedeur Sanders left for the NFL, Colorado started three different quarterbacks and finished the season 3-9.

That's why they make the most money in the NFL and college NILs as well," Deion Sanders said. But I never had that thought process until a season ago. So you learn a lot. You grow a little bit."

Deion Sanders on what college is for

Sanders also was asked for his advice about handling life transitions amid so much change going on.

Be unapologetically you," Sanders told the student who asked him. Find out who you are, what you are, how you are, what you can condone. Just you. Find out you. Like when you look in the mirror, we looking at everything but who we are. We're looking at the hair, the earrings, you know, the blush, the little lipstick. ... You put it on today. But what about you? That mirror ain't telling you who you are.

So you got to really find ... And that's what college is for to me. I love the education part. I love all that. I love all that. I've been through all that. But to find myself, that's the stuff, the fertile ground for you to find yourself. And I would definitely locate me before I leave here. You don't want to leave here and not locate you cuz you could get lost in all this."

Editor's note: Brent Schrotenboer of USA TODAY Sports spoke to this class in 2024 and 2025.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Deion Sanders resumes Colorado class role as 'Professor Prime'