Deion Sanders' Family Connection With NFL Legends on Display at Pro Bowl

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders is getting ready for his first Pro Bowl appearance, and the Pro Bowl coach for the former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback has a special connection with his father, Colorado coach Deion Sanders.

Dec 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) and his father Deion Sanders on the sidelines prior to a game against the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders will be taking part in the 2026 NFL Pro Bowl games on Feb. 3. The former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback was getting some practice reps in alongside Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young on Sunday. 

Shedeur Sanders Getting Ready For Pro Bowl Alongside Steve Young

Feb 1, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; AFC coach Steve Young during practice at the Flag Fieldhouse Moscone Center South Building. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Steve Young will be the AFC’s coach for the 2026 Pro Bowl games, meaning Sanders will be coached by the San Francisco 49ers legend himself. Take a look at the back and forth banter between the two on the practice field at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. 

Shedeur & Steve Young 🔥
pic.twitter.com/wgTkCbUW2L

— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) February 1, 2026

Young played in the NFL for 1985-1999. He threw for 33,124 yards and 232 touchdowns while making First-team All-Pro three times and seven Pro Bowls. Young was a two-time NFL MVP in 1992 and 1994 and led the 49ers to a Super Bowl victory in the 1994-95 season.  

Feb 1, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA;AFC coach Steve Young (left) and NFC coach Jerry Rice talk during practice at the Flag Fieldhouse Moscone Center South Building. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While Young will be coaching Shedeur and the AFC team, another 49ers legend will be coaching for the NFC, Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice. Rice is widely considered to be the greatest wide receiver of all time, and for good reason. 

In Rice’s NFL career that spanned from 1985-2004, he totaled 1,549 receptions for 22,895 yards, and 197 receiving touchdowns. To this day, Rice still holds the NFL all-time record in all three of these categories. He was a 10-time First-team All-Pro and 13-time Pro Bowler. Rice also was a three-time Super Bowl champion with the 49ers. 

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Connection Between Sanders’ Family, Steve Young, and Jerry Rice 

Jan 29, 1995; Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deion Sanders (21) receives a hug from receiver Jerry Rice (80) during the game against the San Deigo Chargers during Super Bowl XXIX at the Joe Robbie Stadium. The 49ers beat the Chargers 49-26. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Rice and Young were two of the biggest stars on the 49ers’ Super Bowl winning team in 1994-95 as both made First-team All-Pro. The defensive side of the ball on that 49er team was not lacking star power either. To go along with Rice and Young as 49ers’ to be named NFL First-team All-Pro that season was Shedeur Sanders’ dad, cornerback Deion Sanders. 

Before his days coaching the Colorado Buffaloes, Deion Sanders was one of the best defensive players in football history. In his career from 1989-2005, Deion made First-team All-Pro six times, was named a Pro Bowler eight times, and was a two-time Super Bowl champion. He had 53 interceptions and 22 touchdowns in his career on defense, special teams as a returner, and in his limited time as a wide receiver on offense. 

He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

Oct 7, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders with son and quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Deion didn’t spent much time with Rice and Young on the 49ers and was there just one season, but they made the most of it by dominating their way to a title. 

Since his playing days ended, Deion got into coaching most notably for his sons. “Coach Prime” was hired by Colorado prior to the 2023 season. In 2023 and 2024, he coached Shedeur before he was eventually selected by the Browns in the 2025 NFL Draft. Now in the NFL, Shedeur has run into his father's legacy multiple times.

When the Sanders family was together in Boulder, they became one of the biggest stories in college football thanks to "Coach Prime's" star power. The Buffaloes have struggled without Shedeur Sanders at quarterback, but Deion Sanders looks to have the team turned around in 2026 with 42 incoming transfers. Colorado brought in offensive coordinator Brennan Marion to work with redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Lewis, potentially Sanders' biggest hire since arriving in Boulder.

As for Shedeur Sanders, he'll be playing for his second coach in the NFL with the Browns hiring former Baltimore offensive coordinator Todd Monken.