While Deion Sanders’ sons Shilo and Shedeur have been all in on their football careers, his eldest son, Bucky/Deion Sanders Jr., took a different route in life, running his media venture, Well Off Media.
He’s got a knack for tech and marketing, so he’s making it big in business while his younger brothers rule in the field. But away from the business, Bucky was quite an athlete a few years ago.
But did he just decide to leave for no reason?
Deion Sanders Jr.’s Football Career and Achievements
If you thought Deion Sanders Jr. was successful in marketing alone, you’ve no idea how he rolled in football back in the day. Bucky stood out as a wideout and corner star in highschool, with his talent and dedication earning him notable achievements.
In 2012, Bucky spent one season at Atlanta Sports Academy (ASA) where he had three picks. Also, he was a three-star recruit as a highschool senior, and later a two-star prospect in 2013.
Deion Sanders Jr’s progress in football earned him an invite to play corner in the Under Armour All-American Bowl in 2012.
In 2013, Bucky carried on his impressive football career at Southern Methodist University (SMU), playing as a defensive back for three seasons. At that time, he recorded four kickoff returns for a season-high 131 yards against Temple. His 87-yard return was the 16th longest in SMU’s history.
In his sophomore year (2014), he played 10 games, starting four. He caught 23 passes for 188 yards and returned 37 kicks for 759 yards. At UCF, he set an SMU record with 203 kick return yards on 10 returns, including a 64-yarder. He earned Second Team All-AAC honors and set multiple school kick return records.
The next season, as a junior in 2015, he played in eight games and returned 15 kickoffs for 372 yards, which was the second-most on the team. He also recorded one tackle, continuing to contribute on special teams despite a lighter workload.
Why Deion Sanders Jr. Gave Up Football
Even after having an impeccable football career, Deion Sanders Jr. decided to hang up his boots after he couldn’t make the NFL, and instead he focused on something that had more appeal to his interests. Explaining his move on his Well Off Luxury brand page, Bucky wrote:
“I stopped playing football my junior year in college. I didn’t go to “the league”. I had to find another way to “ball” without sports….. I had to find another way to be creative and express myself. I had to find something else that I loved doing and that I could put my time into”.
Bucky had found it more intriguing to venture into business and media. And in 2016, he launched his streetwear brand, Well Off Forever, focusing on media and branding.
He also inherited his father’s musical talents, although he started exploring music even before leaving football. In 2011, he released a rap track called Swaggin.’ More recently, he’s released singles like ‘459 (Basic)’ and ‘LOL They Funny.’
Bucky’s Relationship with Shedeur and Shilo
Deion Sanders Jr. has always been supportive of his younger brothers, Shedeur and Shilo Sanders. In fact, they owe a big part of their success to him. It was because of his sacrifice that his brothers got to enjoy the kind of marketing they had during their time in Colorado.
Bucky has always voiced his support for his brothers and marketed them well to build their personal brands. After Shilo got a spot on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bucky celebrated him on X, where he posted Shilo’s picture with the caption: “It’s a beautiful thing.”
Despite taking a different route from his brothers, Deion Sanders Jr. has always shown love and support for Shedeur and Shilo. Currently, he is working with his dad, Deion, to market his program in Colorado while his brothers are off to the pros.