The Benz beef is real. And it’s a strange mix of gridiron dreams, financial courtrooms, and one-tenth of a second. The now-former Colorado Buffaloes safety, Shilo Sanders, never shies away from attention on or off the field, and this week’s spotlight was no exception, just a different kind. According to court filings, Sanders is in hot water over missed payments on his 2023 Mercedes-Benz—an expensive, shiny reminder of the tricky financial maze some college athletes find themselves in. Despite being one of the more prominent NIL faces in the country, Shilo filed for bankruptcy in 2023, with over $11 million in debt still looming. Now, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services is looking to get involved, raising questions about Shilo’s past, present, and very near future.

Yet amid the legal fog, he still ran. At the Buffaloes’ Pro Day showcase, Shilo Sanders clocked a 4.52 in the 40-yard dash. He’d set his sights on hitting a 4.4—and not just for draft stock. Dad, Deion Sanders himself, had promised a new ride if his son could break that threshold. One-tenth of a second shy, and the Benz was off the table. But the original Benz? Shilo’s keeping that one. In a moment where headlines could’ve spiraled, he stepped in to calm the waters and back his son, not as a coach, but as a father. “I know some other bull junk came out (this week),” Deion said. “But he fulfilled all his financial obligations.”

Coach Prime didn’t dodge the headline report by USA Today that highlighted his son’s nearly $7,000 in overdue payments on his 2023 Mercedes-Benz. Instead, he addressed the court reports head-on during a quick news conference at CU’s Indoor Practice Facility. The elder Sanders pointed directly to his son’s legal team. “These issues appear to have risen due to disruptions in the payment process … following the termination of Mr. Sanders’ online account access.” In other words, this wasn’t a case of negligence—it was a backend error, according to Shilo Sanders’ camp. “So he’s good. He’s good,” Deion doubled down, dismissing the notion that the missed payments were signs of deeper irresponsibility.

The entire saga adds a strange layer to Shilo’s NFL aspirations. After all, this is a player who’s had his share of spotlight moments—both for his play and his personality. That 4.52 might not have earned him a new set of keys, but it did boost his resume. While not elite speed, it was enough to prove he belongs in the mix. And beyond the stopwatch, Shilo had one more card to play when speaking to scouts.

“If you want a safety that’s going to play like a safety, that’s going to be physical, bring that hat, be a leader in the secondary, take coaching, be an extension of the defensive coordinator, do my job, everything I’m supposed to do—then I’m the guy,” Shilo said in his pitch to the 32 NFL teams watching. It wasn’t flashy, but it was honest.

He knows he’s not Travis Hunter or Shedeur Sanders in the eyes of the media. But Shilo’s value might be rooted more in leadership and maturity, not Instagram followers or NIL deals.

Still, the irony remains—one of the biggest names in the NIL circles is battling financial woes dating all the way back to 2015. That’s when the first cracks began forming in Shilo’s fiscal portfolio, and the Mercedes saga appears to be a remnant of a longer, more complicated history.

Benz trouble: Why Mercedes is coming after Shilo Sanders now

Just when you thought things couldn’t get messier for NFL Draft prospect Shilo Sanders, a new chapter unfolds—this time, starring Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. The luxury carmaker is now taking legal steps after Shilo defaulted on payments for a $135,000 vehicle, despite initially signaling he’d stick to the deal.

Here’s the timeline: Back in May 2023, Sanders agreed to purchase the high-end ride via installment payments. Fast-forward to October 2023, and he files for bankruptcy, looking to wipe out over $11 million in debt—most of it owed to John Darjean, a security guard from his old Texas high school, who alleged that Shilo inflicted severe and lasting injuries upon him while attempting to take his phone at school.

Now, Mercedes says Shilo kept making payments even after filing—a move that showed he intended to “retain the motor vehicle and reaffirm the obligation,” per the court filing. That means he wanted to keep the car and stick to the deal. But more recently? That commitment seems to have stalled. The company claims he’s defaulted. So why now? Because Mercedes gave him the benefit of the doubt, but without follow-through, they’re stepping in.