news-engine

With training camp underway for his fourth season at Colorado, Deion Sanders is busy preparing the Buffaloes for a tough September 3 opener at Georgia Tech against the Yellow Jackets. But with kickoff just weeks away, Coach Prime is facing a major game-week distraction. The 59-year-old Hall of Famer has been subpoenaed to appear in court for his son Shilo’s $11 million bankruptcy trial. Deion Sanders called to testify in Shilo Sanders’ bankruptcy trial Shilo filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in October 2023, attempting to erase the $11.89 million debt stemming from a 2022 default judgment. The legal battle traces back to a 2015 incident at a Dallas high school, where security guard John Darjean alleged that a 15-year-old Shilo punched and elbowed him over a confiscated phone, causing permanent injuries. Because Shilo failed to show up for the 2022 civil trial, the court automatically ruled in Darjean’s favor. Darjean is now fighting the bankruptcy, arguing it resulted from a “willful and malicious injury” rather than an ordinary debt. That fight now has a trial date: August 31. However, it is the same week Colorado opens its season. According to Yahoo Sports, Deion has now been subpoenaed to appear in that trial, putting him on the hook to testify during the exact stretch he’d otherwise be locked into practice reps and Georgia Tech film study. Deion Sanders has been subpoenaed to appear in Shilo Sanders’ bankruptcy trial, which is set to begin during the same week of Colorado’s season-opener at Georgia Tech on September 3. It’s unclear if Sanders will be called to testify or if he will look to fight the subpoena due… pic.twitter.com/lCvMjonZ2U — Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) August 17, 2026 Even the federal court has acknowledged the awkward timing. Presiding U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Michael E. Romero openly voiced his concern during recent court proceedings. “I’m also concerned there’s a game: CU’s first game is that same week,” Judge Michael E. Romero said, per USA Today. “So I can see that coming. I am not a CU alum or I have no ties to CU. So I don’t care. But I’m just recognizing that is a potential issue.” The legal team representing the plaintiff, John Darjean, wants the elder Sanders on the stand because Deion was reportedly on a phone call with the school security guard moments before the 2015 physical altercation took place. According to Darjean’s attorney, Ori Raphael, the coach’s testimony is vital because “it connects the dots completely” regarding Shilo’s state of mind during the incident. Game week leaves zero breathing room. Coaches spend every hour before kickoff running practices and studying film — duties that cannot wait for a courtroom. With the subpoena in hand, it is unclear if Deion, who is now officially cancer-free, will show up to testify or legally fight the order to stay with his team. Right now, there is no timeline for a fix. It remains a waiting game to see if legal duties or game prep will win out as Colorado turns its focus to Georgia Tech. More college football news: - Deion Sanders Demands Colorado Players ‘Exhaust’ Every Day After Eye-Opening Military Encounter - Deion Sanders: Where Does Dallas Cowboys Legend Rank Among Greatest NFL Players of All Time? - Deion Sanders’ Ex-Wife Puts Fatherhood on Hold for Shedeur and Shilo Amid Browns QB Battle - “Forget it’s Shedeur’s dad”: Todd Monken makes feelings known on Deion Sanders arriving at Browns training camp