For many college football players, game day involves more than physical preparation and tactical planning. Time with teammates, encouragement from coaches, and a shared sense of purpose can also shape the experience. At Colorado, those moments have sometimes included players gathering around head coach Deion Sanders for prayer before returning their focus to football.
Sanders has spoken openly about the role of faith in his life and coaching career. In a recent Instagram video, he was surrounded by several Colorado players as he led a prayer ahead of the team’s upcoming game against Houston. He asked God to help the group find the strength, wisdom, and courage to use its abilities.
“Lord, we just thank you. We really do. Lord, you’ve been consistent. You’ve blessed us with tremendous ability. Lord, give us the faith. Give us the strength. Give us the knowledge. Give us the wisdom. But give us the courage to display the gifts that you’ve given us, Lord. We know we are worthy. We know we can do it. We know we are thoughtful in all our ways. Hear our bodies. Touch our families, friends, and loved ones. But overall, Lord, give us everything we need to go out there and be victorious. In Jesus’ name, let 13 shout Amen,” Sanders said in the video.
Sanders shared the clip with the caption “#CoachPrime @cubuffsfootball.” The prayer covered gratitude, confidence, the players’ health, and the well-being of their families and loved ones. At the end, Sanders called on the group to shout “Amen.”
For people who have followed Sanders since he arrived in Boulder, the gathering reflects a familiar part of his approach. He has brought players together for prayer in settings such as the locker room and around the field. Those moments provide an opportunity to connect with the team beyond practices, meetings, and game preparation.
After Colorado defeated Baylor, for example, Sanders and Atlanta pastor Dr. E. Dewey Smith led a locker-room prayer. The group gave thanks for the team’s safety and reflected on the challenges its members had faced.
Sanders has also expressed his faith during public appearances. After Colorado’s 52–21 win over Weber State in September 2026, he paused for around 10 seconds to pray in tongues before beginning a postgame press conference. The moment circulated online and prompted discussion about the practice.
Sanders later said he had just spoken passionately to his players in the locker room and wanted to pray before speaking with reporters. He characterized the pause as a personal way to settle himself, rather than a moment he had planned to draw public attention.
His faith has also been shaped by experiences outside football. Sanders has discussed turning to Christianity after a difficult period in his life, including a suicide attempt in 1997. Prayer became especially significant during his recovery from a serious health issue.
In 2021, Sanders was hospitalized with blood clots in his leg and faced the possibility of losing part of it. In a 2022 interview with Chris Neely on *Thee Pregame Show*, he reflected on the fear and uncertainty of that time.
“We may smell like the smoke because we’ve been through the fire. But I wouldn’t change none of it. I needed it. I love it, I’m proud of it, and I’m thankful for it,” Sanders said.
He also recalled praying quietly in the hospital and described how close he came to losing his life or his leg. The experience, he said, strengthened his relationship with God and gave added meaning to his recovery.
Sanders is not the only prominent college football coach to make faith part of a program’s identity. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has spoken publicly about his beliefs and incorporated team devotionals and chaplains into the program. Other well-known coaches, including Hugh Freeze and former Georgia coach Mark Richt, have also made personal faith and prayer part of how they mentor athletes.
What distinguishes Sanders is the scale of his audience and how openly he shares these moments online. Team prayers are familiar in locker rooms across college football, but Sanders’ social media presence brings his gatherings to millions of followers. His willingness to pray on camera—with players and during a press conference—can turn a private or routine expression of faith into a broader public conversation.
Reactions to his public expressions have varied. After the September 2026 press conference, some commentators questioned his decision to pray in tongues, while pastor and content creator Matt Green defended the practice, referring to 1 Corinthians 14.
Sanders has continued to speak openly about what faith means to him. His latest prayer with Colorado players offered another example of how he shares that part of his life with the team, asking for guidance, strength, protection, and the opportunity to succeed as the players prepare for Houston.
