Todd Bowles Took Call Of Thanks From Deion Sanders
April 29th, 2025
Bucs undrafted free agent safety Shilo Sanders.
It’s unclear whether the Bucs’ signing of undrafted free agent safety Shilo Sanders will turn into a form of circus at One Buc Palace.
That seems highly unlikely given how Todd Bowles runs a tight ship to the point where music at a Bucs practice is rare compared to other teams.
Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht explained today to Pat & Aaron on WDAE radio that high-profile Sanders, Deion Sanders’ son, was on the minds of him and Todd Bowles a long time.
“We’ve talked about [Sanders] quite a bit in the process,” Licht said.
The GM explained how Sanders’ agent called the Bucs on Saturday to ask if they’d sign his client. Licht relayed that when the call came he happened to be standing with Bowles and the decision was made instantly.
That triggered a phone call, Licht said, from Sanders’ famous dad to Bowles. “Coach Prime called him Saturday night and thanked him for giving [Shilo] a fair shot.”
The Bucs’ GM also went on to say Shilo Sanders will get “a fair shot” to make the team.
Speaking on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Monday, Bowles talked about the 25-year-old who played six years of college ball for South Carolina, Jackson State and Colorado.
“He’s a heck of a tackler and he knows the game very well; he can see the game very well,” Bowles said of the rookie. “So giving him a chance to play, we think he has a shot to help us from a safety standpoint and from a special teams standpoint. So I’m excited to get him in here and see how he moves.
“I saw him tackle all year. I saw him make plays. He’s a very smart player and he understands the game very well. So we thought it was worth a shot to see what he can do. And I think he’ll show himself well.”
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April 29th, 2025 at 8:48 am
Having the Father that he has makes nothing easier at the Pro Level for both Sanders Boyz. I hope he makes the team and has an impact. Go Bucs!
April 29th, 2025 at 8:51 am
sure made it easier to develop though
April 29th, 2025 at 8:57 am
Notwithstanding his father’s friendship with Bowles, this looks like a good signing. Hope he makes the team in some capacity.
April 29th, 2025 at 8:58 am
camp fodder
April 29th, 2025 at 9:02 am
Maybe Deion can help coach up our Dbs!
April 29th, 2025 at 9:18 am
AWjr’s dad made a GREAT safety out of him, hopefully Deion did same
April 29th, 2025 at 9:36 am
If you watched Colorado at all, their secondary was Shilo and Travis and that was pretty much it. He looked pretty good and definitely tackles (didn’t get that from his dad). Hopefully he does great.
April 29th, 2025 at 9:41 am
I’m still stunned by six years of college ball.
Back in The Day, freshmen were not eligible, and you had four years to play three varsity years, one red shirt year.
Six years? I was 21 as a senior, 22 as a rook. 26 was like an old dude.
April 29th, 2025 at 9:42 am
Shilo needs to leave that “Primetime” mentality at home, until he becomes a starter. If he learns the system and stays humble, he’s got a real of making the roster. If be becomes a cancer like Chris Baker was its a wrap.
April 29th, 2025 at 9:45 am
do you think he makes the 53 man roster?
April 29th, 2025 at 9:55 am
WGAS WGAF
April 29th, 2025 at 10:18 am
From what I’ve read on the kid, from a football standpoint, he’s not much of a prospect and the only reason he’s getting signed is because of his name. I expect nothing.
April 29th, 2025 at 10:19 am
Shilo Sanders in camp meat. Nothing more.
If his he wasn’t Deion’s son and part of that circus, no one would even care.
Anyone projecting this guy as a starter is losing their damn minds. He hits – great, but he’s also a missed tackle waiting to happen. The Bucs just cut a better version of this in Whitehead.
The only way this kid makes it out of training camp is if he shows out on special teams.
April 29th, 2025 at 10:20 am
This is just a joke.
Pampered babies needing more pampering.
He’d probably fit right in the scheme Bowles runs out there.
Play off the line 15 yards on 3rd and 7. Makes so much sense.
28-27
April 29th, 2025 at 10:26 am
We’ll get a bit of national media buzz if he makes the team… but we will receive huge coverage if we pick his brother up, Shedeur, after Cleveland cuts him…
April 29th, 2025 at 10:37 am
That’s a tad unconventional. People that follow the draft closely know that halfway through the 7th round, teams start calling players and their agents to see if they’d like to sign with their teams after the draft if they don’t get picked. Sanders’ agent called the Bucs… that’s crazy. Sanders isn’t great, he’s 25, but he had a draftable grade. Ordinarily, teams would be going out of their way to try to sign him after the draft. I’m thinking having helicopter parents is never a good thing. I wonder if Shiloh had a last name of Williams, if he would’ve been drafted.
April 29th, 2025 at 10:54 am
“maybe Deion can help coach our DB’s.”
Yeah, no thanks. Don’t want that charlatan scumbag, or his merry band of trashy fans hanging around one buc.
April 29th, 2025 at 11:27 am
I think Shiloh will get a disproportionate share of media attention during all the pre-season workout programs, which will allow the rest of the organization more time to go about the business of preparing a winning team. A win-win-win situation.
April 29th, 2025 at 11:43 am
Shilo Sanders is a pure soul.
He loves his little brother.
He is unselfish. He is supportive. He is positive.
I really hope he makes the practice squad.
He deserves it!
Go Bucs!!!
April 29th, 2025 at 12:17 pm
I get the concern about a “circus” because of the Neon/Shadeur antics. But I agree with Joe that’s it’s not a major concern. Yes there is Todd’s tight ship although a significant portion of this board totally ignore that.
Well this is a time when being “small” market”…actually middle of the pack at #17 MSA…but it’s not the media hotbed of the top 5 or so.
Shadeur will have the chance to develop out of the spotlight and away from his flashy father and brother. He may be a sleeper.
I also agree totally with “Truth be Told Says”
“Having the Father that he has makes nothing easier at the Pro Level for both Sanders Boyz.”
See AW on the Bucs. The Manning Boys and many others too numerous to mention.
April 29th, 2025 at 12:21 pm
Not sure what “MSA” is but Tampa Bay is the nation’s No. 11 largest TV market. And growing. Likely will be top-10 in a year or two.
April 29th, 2025 at 12:48 pm
In the film study I watched at on YouTube at BuffedonPrime, Shiloh often looked great as a single high safety. But, he was oddly vulnerable to slant routes when the team blitzed.
Angles and tackling looked very good when he was intercepting the runner. But, he was oddly vulnerable in the open field with the runner coming straight downhill on him.
If he can accept good coaching, Tampa is a great team for him to be with, and he could end up as a valuable member of the team.
April 29th, 2025 at 1:35 pm
I think Sanders is more than Camp meat. He’s run a low 4.5 in the 40 and is a good tackler. Being thin on safeties, I think his chances are decent making the practice squad.
April 29th, 2025 at 1:37 pm
Thank you call, my a$$.
This was the first volley by a narcissistic egomaniac who sees an opportunity to bring his three ring circus sh!tshow back to the NFL.
I will repeat myself from yesterday.
Jason Licht, Coach Swiss Cheese, here’s some unsolicited advice:
You sit this man down in your office and tell him in no uncertain terms that he is not welcome to be on the field or sidelines at rookie camp, OTAs, training camp, etc. You make it perfectly clear to him he will not be on the sidelines during preseason and regular season games and practices. That includes our preseason scrimmages with the Ravens.
And if he starts kicking and screaming, you shut him right down and tell him again in no uncertain terms to get out of your office and take his horse manure back to Colorado.
And if he says he’s fine with that, you stare him in the eye, and confirm with him again what the rules are. You make him say he understands again, AND YOU DON’T LOWER YOUR GAZE UNTIL HE BLINKS FIRST.
Part Two:
I sincerely hope that Shilo is the exact opposite of his father.
I sincerely hope the team and coaching staff give him an honest, fair shot at making the team, and I know they will.
It will be poetic justice if he is the opposite of his father and makes the team on his own merit.
April 29th, 2025 at 3:02 pm
Interesting that I read that Shilo is much closer to his mother than father.
He took the opportunity to play for his father’s team as actually an opportunity to up his profile.
I understand that after he did not get drafted that he fired Deion as his agent and hired Drew Rosenhaus as his agent.
He seems to be the son that is a little more grounded of the two Sander men drafted this year.
Whether he works out or not, I have a feeling that he is going to be working hard to see if he can have a spot with an NFL team.
I wish him luck if he shows the talent to stick and safety is one of those spots where your talent has to be ok – not necessarily elite – and it is your smarts that will make the difference.
April 29th, 2025 at 3:11 pm
Now, Now, Vanessa Anne! Whoa! I’m not here to defend “Prime Time” but I don’t think you’re being quite fair here. I don’t think he’s a narcissistic egomaniac. He’s earned the right to be on NFL fields. Teammates seem to back him. He was a great lockdown corner and great punt returner. But what cinches it for me is his baseball background. Baseball is my first love. As an adolescent I cried my eyes out when the Miracle Mets caught my beloved Cubs. I’m giving “Prime” the benefit of the doubt. He loves baseball too. He can’t be all bad.
April 29th, 2025 at 3:52 pm
I don’t recall much talk of Shilo being a diva or being part of the Sanders circus.
I think all this talk of giving the guy a lecture/ultimatum when he enters the building is silly/stupid.
If a talk needs to be had with Dion or Shilo I’m sure Todd will have that talk, but to suggest you treat Shilo differently than any other udfa straight out of the gate would be a way of creating a circus, not guarding against one.
Our locker room, coaches, culture will keep him in check ASSUMING (like some of you) there are any issues with ego or attitude to begin with. I’ve never heard any talk of Shilo being as egomaniacal as Shedeur or Dion.
Treat the kid like everybody else and hopefully he can up his game and make the cut.. We can use the safety depth. Not a big Dion fan but I’m rooting for this kid.
April 29th, 2025 at 4:31 pm
Ugh, Deion Sanders and Drew Rosenhaus. This dude played 6 years of college ball? I know if Sanders tries to do the diva, that locker room will shut that crap down real quick! We’ll see.
April 29th, 2025 at 4:32 pm
He needs to clean up his tackling issues.
April 29th, 2025 at 6:23 pm
@Kenton Smith
I appreciate the points you make. Thank you.
I agree with you, Deion was an excellent corner and punt returner. Outstanding in many ways.
I was unaware of his baseball background, but am very aware of the Miracle Mets and remember watching them.
It’s all the other garbage and nonsense Deion brings with him. It comes across as egotistical to me, and in some cases, narcissistic. Narcissist is not a word I throw around lightly, by the way.
As for him earning the right to be on NFL fields, I’m not sure I agree with you. As a player, yes. As a coach, maybe. I don’t know enough about his coaching pedigree to make a decision on that.
What I’m 100% confident of, is that he will do everything he can to not only get him self onto the sidelines/field here in Tampa or in Cleveland, and then try to start running the show.
He can’t help himself. It’s all about him. It always has been. It’s who he is.
I just think the best way to avoid all that nonsense is for the front office to lay down the law with Deion in no uncertain terms, right from the start. And then back it up.
And yes, Kenton, I do sincerely hope Shiloh is nothing like his father and makes the team entirely on his own merit. Nothing against AWJ or any of the other names being mentioned for the position, but we could use some reinforcements on that part of the D.
April 29th, 2025 at 6:32 pm
Oh, Vanessa Anne, you have to check out his baseball career. He played 9 seasons starting with the Yankees. Hit over .500 in 92 World Series with the Braves. Led the National League in triples one year. Stole almost 200 bases. All the while playing NFL football. Plus I heard he likes to fish. I’m gonna need more evidence to dislike Deion.