How Deion Sanders Bet on Himself

Former NFL superstar and Hall-of-Famer Deion Sanders has never been afraid of a challenge. He has never backed down from betting on his talents on or off the field.

As a player, Sanders knew he had special skills and wasn't afraid to play with extreme confidence. His magnetic personality became apparent to the audience when he moved into the broadcast booth.

When he wanted a bigger challenge, Sanders decided to coach high school football, then searched for a college that would make him its head coach. But after several interviews with some power five schools, he decided to bet on himself and take the head coaching position at Jackson State in Mississippi. 

Jackson State isn't a power five school. It doesn't have great facilities or an alumni base pouring money into the program.

Sanders didn't care.

He wanted to become a head coach, so he accepted the offer, despite the fact he would have to ride the bus to games and not have many of the luxuries of his incredible career.

After he won 27 games in three seasons, the University of Colorado offered him its head coaching position, and Sanders accepted. For Sanders, heading to Boulder is another bet on himself as he inherits a 1-11 team and a program that has just one winning season since moving to the Pac-12 Conference in 2011.  

In his first meeting, Sanders raised a few eyebrows by telling his new players they might be better suited for the transfer portal.

"It ain’t gonna be no more of a mess that these wonderful fans, the student body, and some of your parents have put up with for probably two decades now. I’m coming, and when I get here, it’s gonna be changed,” he said.

“So I want y’all to get ready to go ahead and jump in the portal and do whatever you’re gonna get because if more of you jump in, the more room you make.”

To many, this seemed rather harsh. After all, the typical behavior for a new leader would be to give the kids a chance to prove themselves publicly, knowing privately the talent base isn't good enough to win.

But Sanders was transparent, and while that might not be politically correct, it's honesty we all crave. Being truthful is the first quality of any leader. And sometimes, the truth can hurt. 

Some players in the room are like Sanders, willing to bet on themselves and not transfer, meaning Sanders will have a team like himself, not afraid to face a challenge.

His honesty will be the cornerstone of his leadership.  

This conversation from Sanders comes down to a simple question we all must answer as leaders: Is it better to be honest or politically correct? 

You decide.  

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