Fans speculated a relationship between T.J. Sanders and Deion Sanders due to their NFL careers and the same surname. However, they aren’t related to each other.
Deion has been the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes since December 2022 and agreed to a five-year contract extension on March 28, 2025. On the other hand, the Buffalo Bills selected T.J. with the 41st pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
The Kansas City Royals selected Deion out of North Fort Myers High School in the sixth round of the 1985 MLB draft. However, he didn’t sign up with them and instead played for Florida State University.
After graduation, he played baseball for the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, and San Francisco Giants.
Football was his wife, and baseball was his mistress. He played football for the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and Baltimore Ravens.
After retiring from professional playing, he became the head coach for the Prime Prep Academy, which he co-founded.
He was the 21st head coach of the Jackson State Tigers in the 2020 season and joined the Colorado Buffaloes during the 2023 season.
Similarly, T.J. played football at Marion High School and committed to college football at the University of South Carolina.
He recorded 50 tackles, 4.0 sacks, six quarterback hurries, and one pass breakup, earning him a spot on the All-Southeastern Conference Second Team.
After the Buffalo Bills selected him in the 2025 NFL draft, he made it into the NFL.
Probably a 3-tech first, inside rush. For us, he can play 1, I would say his primary is 3. We like the idea of adding another inside rusher, another guy to pair with Ed [Oliver] on clear passing downs, but we could still play him at 1 if we wanted to. I would just say position one would be a 3-tech.
Bills’ general manager Brandon Beane
T.J. Sanders And Deion Sanders Come From Different Family Backgrounds
In sports, shared last names often lead to assumptions about family connections. Despite the same surname and their involvement in sports, T.J. Sanders is unrelated to Deion Sanders.
While T.J. isn’t part of Deion’s athletic dynasty, he has carved his path. They have an age gap of 36 years.
Nephew TJ happy as can be. #TRUTH pic.twitter.com/LTUAjsG1Dr
— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) January 11, 2017
Deion Sanders, the son of Connie Sanders and Mims Sanders, was born on August 9, 1967, in Fort Myers, Florida.
His parents divorced when he was only two, and his mother married Willie Knight. He credits his stepfather as an influential figure in his life.
Similarly, Deion has been married twice. He married Carolyn Chambers and has two children, Deiondra Sanders and Deion Sanders Jr.
From his second marriage to Pilar Biggers, he has three children: Shilo, Shedeur, and Shelomi Sanders.
Netizens are confused that Deion Sanders is related to T.J. Sanders due to the coach’s shared last name and high-profile family.
Deion’s sons, Shilo and Shedeur, are also football stars, leading some to assume any standout “Sanders” in football might be part of the family.
Likewise, Deion has a nephew named TJ, which boosted the relationship rumors with the Buffalo Bills defensive tackle.
@uninterrupted Mama raised TJ Sanders the right way 🥹 #buffalobills #nfldraft #nfl #wholesome ♬ original sound – uninterrupted
Conversely, T.J. Sanders, the son of Brian and Nicolette Barrett, was born on July 30, 2003, in Goldsboro, North Carolina. His parents noticed his football talent early and supported his athletic journey.
Although his parents live far from the spotlight, their support significantly shapes the player’s career.
Their encouragement and dedication helped T.J. become a promising collegiate athlete and an NFL player.
Despite these assumptions, neither T.J. Sanders nor Deion Sanders is related. The mix-up is understandable, given their shared surname and football background, but T.J. is making his mark in the sport.
As his career progresses, fans will hopefully recognize him for his achievements, not just his famous last name.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Deion Sanders played nine seasons in the MLB and 14 seasons in the NFL.
- He went through a dark time when his first marriage ended in 1997, and he attempted suicide by driving a car off a cliff in Cincinnati while playing for the Reds.
- As of 2025, his net worth is estimated at $45 million, and he earns $6 million annually.
