Deion Sanders Confirms Players Dismissed From Colorado Buffaloes

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders took responsibility for the team's loss to Northwestern in week 3, the first of the season, and he also revealed that "there's a few guys not on the team anymore." Sanders did not specify which players.

Deion Sanders on Kicking Players Off the Team

The admission comes as a surprise after the Buffaloes lost to the Wildcats 41-7, but "Coach Prime" explained some of the thought process behind his decision, answering a question from On3's Leo Rivera at Tuesday's press conference.

colorado buffaloes deion sanders team dismissal discipline northwestern wildcats loss big 12 play julian lewis tyler martinez — Sep 19, 2026; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders takes the field with his team for warmups before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"It's never one," Sanders said when asked about the moments that led up to the dismissals. "Those guys could tell you, I'm the most loving and giving and forgiving man you could ever meet. But when you start being conduct detrimental to the team, that will set us back in things that you're doing that you don't care about the team. You care about you."

"I have a problem with that, and a year ago, I didn't put my foot down in it enough. It lingered a little bit, now, then it imploded. I'm not doing that. I'm not doing that anymore," said Sanders.

Earlier in his press conference, Sanders spoke about the team's response to the blowout loss and his dissatisfaction with the Buffs' performance against Northwestern.

"We want to win, that's the number one, but we want to win the right way. And we want to do what's right, but the whole thing's about winning. And we don't want to ever employ a using type of sentiment. Like we don't want to do things that's associated losers, and bad mouth opponents, and do that kind of stuff, that's not who we are," the Colorado coach said.

Who exactly was dismissed from the team remains to be seen, but the departure will likely be confirmed when the Buffaloes take the field against Baylor on Saturday, Sept. 26.

Buffs linebacker Tyler Martinez also spoke to the media on Tuesday and shared his reaction to Sanders' decision:

"The dismissals, I mean, it sucks in the moment. but when you look in the big picture, if it's going to help us win, then we gotta do it. It is what it is, and I'm sorry to see those guys go, but we have games to win here, so whatever it takes is whatever it takes, "said Martinez.

Colorado Buffaloes Penalties Issue

The Colorado coach was also asked about the issue of penalties. Through three games the Buffaloes have committed 28 penalties for 247 yards, good for an average of 9.3 penalties for 82.3 yards per game. Colorado coach Deion Sanders and company are the 129th-most penalized team in the country.

"The penalties is tough on me, 'cause everything we do, these guys will tell you, is about discipline. The height, the level of their socks. Everything they do. The shirts. Everything they do is discipline, discipline, discipline," said Sanders. "Then when you get out on the field and you're undisciplined, I don't understand. That's hard to fathom. That means pressure is bringing out certain things that shouldn't be in you, but it's coming out. And it shouldn't, because we are disciplined in every other area."

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