Colorado coach Deion Sanders has become a polarizing figure in the college football world, and according to his security team, he has been subjected to multiple threats as a result. In the latest season of the “Coach Prime” docuseries, which aired on Prime Video, Sanders’ personal security, officer Michael Rhodes, revealed that Sanders received a “very credible threat” before a game during the 2024 season.
Rhodes, who has served as a member of Jackson State’s campus police for around 10 years, was part of Sanders’ security detail when he was hired as the head coach at Colorado. He has had his hands full since joining Sanders at Colorado, going through his mail every day, including a lot of death threats and hate mail.
According to Rhodes, before a September 14 game against Colorado State, they received “multiple threats concerning people trying to do harm to Coach” and had to have multiple law enforcement agencies present at the game, including a SWAT team, CSUPD, and Boulder PD.
Rhodes said he keeps his head “on a swivel” during games, watching for any potential threats in the crowd and around the stadium. He emphasized that “everybody doesn’t love Coach” and that his job is to ensure Sanders’ safety, so he can focus on coaching the team.
The Buffaloes had a strong 2024 season, making their first Bowl game appearance since 2020 and selling out every home game for the past two seasons, a first in the program’s 134-year history.