Deion Sanders Will Offer Continued Scholarship To Colorado RB Who’s Quitting Football Due To Concussions: “We’re Gonna Take Care Of You”

Coach Prime is a class act.

Deion Sanders has been in the spotlight a lot in his life. Whether it was his playing days in NFL and MLB, his time at the HBCU Jackson State, or his current coaching gig with the Colorado Buffaloes, a lot of eyes have always been on him. And that’s especially been the case as his personal health has been under a microscope as late.

There were even rumors swirling that he’d step down as head coach at Colorado, but those turned out to be untrue… thankfully.

But even as “Primetime” has gotten a lot of attention, Deion took today to shine the spotlight on someone else. Specifically, Coach Prime gave the floor to one of his players, running back Charlie Offerdahl, and allowed him to share the tough news with his teammates that he would be retiring from football due to head injuries he had sustained previously:

“Obviously I haven’t been here this summer, and if it’s not obvious already, I won’t be coming back this year. With how serious this last concussion was, and the many I’ve had leading up to it, it’s been pretty scary for me and my family. I will be hanging it up. I just wanted to take this time to let everybody know here, and thank you guys…

And Coach Prime, I love you coach. When you first came in, you believed in me when nobody else did. Not even myself. I can’t thank you enough for that. As a player, you can’t ask for anything else in a coach.”

Offerdahl went on to share that he had played football since he was in the 3rd grade, and that he loved using the platform the sport gave him to spread his faith and love for the Lord. But with the concussions he had suffered, and the fact that he was in the process of applying for dental school, the young man made the decision to step away from football.

Deion Sanders said that he was “for him 100%” and the decision that he made. Coach Prime wrapped his arm around Charlie after he was through delivering his message to the team, and Deion had a statement of his own to share. The Colorado Buffaloes head coach announced that they’d keep Offerdahl on scholarship even though he was stepping away from the sport, and that he’d do his best to “bless him” financially with dental school:

“You guys know how I feel about the OG’s, the OB’s – Original Buffs. If there’s somebody out there that’s in control of a dental school, I want to make sure we take care of him. We gonna get somebody out there to bless you.

I know you are stepping away from this, but we’re going to continue your scholarship. We’re gonna pay for everything for him because I love him. I wish to God that we just had 11 players (that have) what he has inside of him and what makes him who he is … love you man and appreciate you man, we’re gonna take care of you.”

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What a touching moment.

Sometimes sports are bigger than sports. I know that sounds silly, but think about it. The connection Coach Prime and his running back had transcended the player-coach relationship. Though the football element was removed, Deion stuck by Offerdahl and blessed him with a gift that will go on far past the running back’s athletic career.The post Deion Sanders Will Offer Continued Scholarship To Colorado RB Who’s Quitting Football Due To Concussions: “We’re Gonna Take Care Of You” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.