Colorado's Deion Sanders Clears Air About Warren Sapp's Unusual Pylon Tradition in Pregame

The Colorado Buffaloes fell to the Utah Utes 53-7 in their last game. Fans were confused about the pregame tradition of Buffaloes pass rush coordinator Warren Sapp involving the pylons. Colorado coach Deion Sanders addressed those questioning it.

Oct 4, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders on the field during warm ups prior to a game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes dropped their last game to the Utah Utes by a final score of 53-7. Aside from the game, fans across college football noticed something in the pregame involving Buffaloes pass rush coordinator Warren Sapp. 

Colorado coach Deion Sanders addressed this when speaking to reporters. 

Deion Sanders Addresses Warren Sapp’s Pregame Routine 

Oct 4, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes defensive pass rush coordinator Warren Sapp plays catch on the sidelines prior to a game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Colorado Buffaloes at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Warren Sapp has a pregame ritual unlike any other. Before the game, Sapp purposely knocks over the pylon in the corners of the end zone. This happened again against Utah and had fans all over the country questioning it. As Sapp was knocking them over, “Coach Prime” was right behind him picking them back up. 

“Someone tried to make a big deal out of Coach Sapp knocking over the darn pylon. That’s our little thing. He knocks them down and I pick them up,” Sanders said. “That’s what defensive lineman do, right? They knock them down and defensive backs pick them off…Stop trying to make something out of nothing.”

Let me get this right we got Colorado D-Line coach Warren Sapp kicking over pylons like a 10 year old & his boss the coach that has a bad foot & no bladder Deion Sanders is picking up the pylons… Thats Wild pic.twitter.com/diTQnBloXd

— The cfb lliason (@realfbllliason) October 28, 2025

Sanders cleared this whole thing up because there were a lot of people up in arms about what Sapp was doing. In the end, it’s just a ritual between the two coaches and doesn’t have anything to do with Utah or any other team the Buffaloes play on the road. 

Sapp, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a defensive lineman, is in his second year on Deion’s staff. In 2024, Sapp was a senior quality control analyst before becoming pass rush coordinator this season. 

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Deion Sanders: “I Yell on the Sidelines All the Time”

Oct 11, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Deion also went in depth about the clip of him during the Utah game appearing to be light up his defensive coordinator Robert Livingston. Sanders clarified that he was not yelling about anything related to the calls that Livingston was making and it was simply just about personnel. 

“The little situation that you caught me yelling on the sideline, I wasn’t yelling at coach about a call. I was yelling about personnel…I respect the calls that coach makes,” Sanders said. “I think he’s one of the best guys in the business…I yell on the sidelines all the times. Sometimes I yell positivity…I got the utmost respect for Coach Livingston and Rob has done a great job since he’s been here.”

Coach Prime opens his presser by talking about Coach Sapp’s pregame ritual of knocking over the end zone pylons:

“That’s our little thing - he knocks them down, I pick them up.” pic.twitter.com/yAI95eglbk

— DNVR Buffs (@DNVR_Buffs) October 28, 2025

Livingston is in his second season as Buffaloes defensive coordinator. Prior to going to Boulder, he was the safeties coach for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2016 through 2023. 

Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes defensive coordinator Robert Livingston during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The game against Utah was a night to forget for everyone on that Colorado sideline. Colorado will try to shake that off as they prepare to host the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday, Nov. 1 at Folsom Field. The Buffs are now 3-5 and are in danger of missing a bowl game as the last third of the season gets underway.