Ahead of Super Bowl LX, Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders made waves throughout the week and earned some high praise.
Robert Griffin III, who attended the NFL Honors ceremony with his wife Grete, addressed any skepticism surrounding “Coach Prime” and the Buffs. Despite a 3-9 finish in 2025, Griffin made it clear he remains a staunch believer in the vision Sanders is cultivating in Boulder.
Robert Griffin III Sees Commitment Beyond the Spotlight
For Griffin, belief in Sanders isn’t rooted in the wins and losses but in the decision to continue leading Colorado through both personal and program defining change. Sanders announced his bladder cancer diagnosis before the 2025 season, knowing it would also be his first year coaching without his sons, Shedeur and Shilo, on the roster. In Griffin’s view, it was a moment where stepping away would have been understandable.
“Yeah, I feel like if Coach Prime wanted to walk away, he had the perfect opportunity to walk away when he had the health scare,” Griffin told Yahoo Sports. “I think him coming back without his sons being there shows you how much he loves the kids that are in his program, and that showed me something, so I wouldn’t doubt Coach Prime.”
“I wouldn’t doubt Coach Prime” 💯@RGIII on the outlook at Colorado ahead of the 2026 season 🦬 pic.twitter.com/YSvUg4oKUj
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) February 6, 2026
By choosing to stay in Boulder, Sanders reinforced that his commitment to Colorado extends beyond family ties or personal recognition. The 2025 season marked a turning point in the Prime Era, shifting the narrative from a personal project (coaching his sons) to a long-term rebuild rooted in belief and love for the game.
“I know the hype might not be there like it was a couple of years ago when he first got to Colorado,” Griffin continued. “But he’s finally got guys in there that want to be there and aren’t there just for the additional impact of having his brand and his name kind of pump them up.”
For Griffin, that distinction signals a roster built on intent more than the lure of the spotlight; it’s a quieter but more sustainable foundation for a coach that once arrived with “Louis luggage” in hand.
Turning the Page on the First Chapter
Much of the early narrative around Sanders arrival at Colorado centered on who he brought with him from Jackson State. A move that included cornerstone figures like Shedeur, Shilo, and two-way star Travis Hunter, whose presence helped shape the program’s identity during its most visible stretch.
But now, that first chapter of the Prime Era, defined by national attention and newfound success, is officially over. The initial wave of players who followed Sanders to Boulder have either graduated, moved on through the transfer portal, or reached the NFL. What remains is a roster that reflects the current landscape of college football, one less dependent on star power and more focused on depth, roster stability, and proven experience.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what they do this year with the guys that came in because they really want to play ball,” Griffin said.
Griffin’s comments point to a version of Colorado football that may lack early buzz but could already be carrying a clearer sense of identity heading into 2026.
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Why the Next Phase Could Look Different
Colorado’s 3-9 finish in 2025 underscored how thin the margin for error remains in the Big 12. But in a conference where recent history suggests no program enters the season as a clear favorite, Colorado’s path appears no more daunting than anyone else’s.
“And the Big 12’s wide open,” Griffin added. “It feels like it’s wide open every single year.”
With new staff bringing in schematic creativity and a roster built more on intention and less on spectacle, “Coach Prime” and the Buffs have as legitimate a chance as any team to push for a Big 12 title.
Colorado now enters a season defined less by spectacle and more by substance. But with a coach who understands pressure, transition, and reinvention better than most, that shift could mark the most important stage yet of “Coach Prime’s” tenure in Boulder.
