Deion Sanders’ bodyguard says Colorado coach receives about five death threats a day
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Deion Sanders’ bodyguard said the NFL legend receives about five death threats a day, according to a YouTube video posted Friday by Sanders’ oldest son, Deion Jr.
Bodyguard Michael Rhodes told Sanders’ coaches, University of Colorado football players, to “be conscious” of who they let into the team facility.
“I’m Officer Rhodes. I’m Coach Prime’s head of security,” Rhodes told the team.
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Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his team warm up before an NCAA college football game against TCU on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony GutiƩrrez)
“Very quickly, I want to say this. Those of you who are new, when you go to the facility in the morning, be aware of who is coming in with you, especially in the elevator. Don’t let someone force you to scan you on the floor, because they are all trying to get to Coach Prime. Those people who are trying to get to them, not all of them have good intentions. So keep that in mind, don’t open any doors, because my philosophy is, if the doors open, they will pass. Then you will have to meet me.”
Sanders then cited being a “black man” for his constant death threats.
“We get death threats all the time,” Sanders said. “Why? I’m a black man making this happen, making things move, making all of that happen. So we have things that are real.”
Sanders then asked Rhodes, “How many death threats do we get?”
“Around five every day,” Rhodes said.
Sanders’ life and well-being have been a topic of concern over the past year.
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University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders talks about his journey to beat bladder cancer during a press conference at the Touchdown Club at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado, on Monday, July 28, 2025. (AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Last June, reports emerged that the Pro Football Hall of Famer was sidelined with an unspecified illness.
In July, Sanders revealed that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive illness. form of bladder cancer. During a press conference with his doctors, Sanders shared that a portion of his intestine had been surgically reconstructed to function as a bladder.
After the diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer, Sanders needed to go to the bathroom frequently, so the school introduced a portable side toilet for him during games.
Then, during a post-match press conference in October, Sanders predicted he was facing more blood clots after being hit by them earlier.
“The cat’s out of the bag, okay. I think I have more blood clots,” Sanders said. “It doesn’t make sense. It hurts like hell… There’s no blood getting to my leg. That’s why my leg hurts.”
The blood clot issue led to the amputation of two toes on his left foot in 2021. Sanders was coaching at Jackson State at the time. In 2023, the two-time Super Bowl champion missed Pac-12 media day to treat a blood clot in his right leg and another surgery to correct the curled toes on his left foot.
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Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his players warm up before an NCAA college football game against Utah, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Salt Lake City, Utah. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
“I’m going in there [surgery]”And I’m going to get the best sleep in the world for, I think, four hours during the surgery,” Sanders said Tuesday.
“I’ve never been high a day in my life. I’ve never drank, smoked or anything. But when I have those surgeries, I’m on time.”
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Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to Title IX enforcement and in mainstream media outlets such as The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The News and ESPN.com.


