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Colorado Buffaloes head football coach Deion Sanders returned to the rap game this offseason. Sanders is collaborating with Snoop Dogg to release Must Be The Money 24, a remix to the NFL Great's 1994 song Must Be The Money. In the song, he references his time at Jackson State and his transition to Colorado following the 2022 season.
“Gave the ‘sip [Mississippi] the blueprint then moved the family to Boulder,” Sanders said in the final line of his verse, which was head in full on his son Deion Sanders Jr.'s Well Off Media YouTube channel.
Sanders' reference sparks a wave of nostalgia about his tenure at Jackson State and his departure, a topic frequently discussed within the HBCU community. Sanders was hired by the institution, which is prominent for producing football legends such as Walter Payton and the renowned Sonic Boom of the South. Following a short Spring season in 2021, disrupted by COVID-19's cancellation of the Fall season, Sanders guided the Tigers to tremendous achievements in the Fall 2021 and 2022 seasons.
His teams won consecutive SWAC championships and remained undefeated in conference games in 2021 and 2022. They boasted the top defense in the FCS last season, limiting opponents to just 13.5 points, 135.3 passing yards, and 117 rushing yards per game. Additionally, Sanders guided two of his defensive players, LB James Houston IV and DB Isaiah Bolden, to the NFL.
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However, Deion Sanders’s departure from Jackson State in December 2022 following the Celebration Bowl shook up the HBCU community. While anticipated, his decision to depart for Colorado seemed surreal and, to many, ill-timed. Just as rumors began circulating, the Tigers were preparing for a rematch against their rivals, the Southern University Jaguars, in the SWAC Championship at the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
He later revealed his departure to take on the role of head coach at the Colorado Buffaloes. His exit sparked debates about his intentions: Was his aim truly to uplift HBCUs? Or did he view Jackson State merely as a stepping stone to his next career move?
In the book “Elevate and Dominate: 21 Ways to Win On and Off the Field,” co-authored by Sanders and Don Yeager, which was published on March 12th, Sanders seemed fully committed to transforming Jackson State into a consistent title contender.
“My goal for Jackson State was clear from Day One—we wanted to win, and win RIGHT NOW. We wanted to wake it up and capture some of its potential. But we also wanted to challenge the belief that HBCUs were some sort of inferior product. THEY ARE NOT… and we proved that. I never thought too deeply about my next step because my focus was on turning Jackson State into a powerhouse.”
Amidst fervent discussions about his departure from Jackson State and the challenge of revitalizing Colorado's potential during their shift to the Big 12, he seems to cherish his experiences with the Tigers and the lasting memories they hold.
