Lapses of judgment. A phenomenon that athletes, rather begrudgingly, are all too familiar with. Losing your concentration or cool for a split second can cost you a touchdown or even a championship on the gridiron. But off it, the cost it can exact knows no boundary. Football players tend to get into trouble with the law more often than their contemporaries. Shilo Sanders, son of the iconic Deion Sanders, had a tryst with losing his head over something rather petty back when he was 15. He’s still facing the repercussions for it. Being kin to a multimillionaire sure has its perks. But the higher you climb, the more devastating a potential fall is.

In 2015, Shilo Sanders was a ninth grader at FOCUS Academies in Dallas with a chip on his shoulder. After all, he’s the son of a Super Bowl winner with the Cowboys. It was here that a juvenile Shilo ran into trouble with the law. Long preceding his time as a public persona stemmed from his own football career. Allegedly, Shilo Sanders brutally injured John Darjean, a security guard, after he confiscated his phone. This was followed by a lawsuit where Darjean sued Sanders for damages. It went to trial in 2022, and a Dallas civil court judged in favor of Darjean. Making Shilo Sanders liable to pay him $11.89 million. So, did Shilo oblige? Not quite.

Shilo Sanders followed this judgment by filing for bankruptcy in 2023. He did so voluntarily, hoping to escape that reprimand of over $11 million. Shilo’s camp cited this as a means to gain a “fresh start” before what he hopes will be a career in the NFL. John Darjean’s camp saw right through this potentially fallacious argument and filed two complaints. The case is ongoing and has just had a major line in the sand. An update that treads the line but is more good news for Sanders than for Darjean. 

A sticking point that has prevented this bankruptcy case from reaching a conclusion has been a certain demand from Sanders’ camp. They wish to keep his financial activity from 2023 private. That includes any business deals, NIL earnings, and bank statements. Even something like how many times he ordered McDonald’s or an avocado toast from the money he owes John Darjean.

This was brought up in court! Sanders’ attorney, Keri Riley, cites that if any of his spending becomes public information, Shilo will get dragged on social media. Which, his camp argues, will smear his image and hamper his ability to make money in the future as well. Shilo isn’t the most revered figure online, and there is a rationale for this. Well, judge Michael E. Romero saw enough rationale to grant Shilo Sanders confidentiality over his finances—but there’s a caveat.

Shilo has only been issued a “limited protective order,” as per USA Today’s Brent Schrotenboer. Who wrote, “The judge ended up finding ‘good cause’ to give Sanders certain privacy protections. Among other things, Romero’s five-page protective order Wednesday says ‘designated discovery material may not be used for any other purpose’ other than that is related to the case.”

Darjean obviously doesn’t agree that Shilo should be given any special leeway just because he’s a bit of a public figure. Schrotenboer also said, “The judge’s order appears to forbid social media dissemination of designated discovery evidence unless it gets into the public court record.” With this sticking point now cleared, the case can head towards a trial. Simultaneously, Shilo Sanders is headed toward the NFL—or is he?

Shilo Sanders’ NFL future remains unclear entering the final stretch pre-draft

“Sanders” on the back of your jersey can weigh heavy. Shilo Sanders perhaps got the shorter end of the stick when it came to the family’s athletic prowess. To be fair, Deion Sanders did set the bar pretty high. While his brother Shedeur Sanders has flirted with getting close to or even breaching that bar, the same hasn’t quite transpired with Shilo. Quarterback Shedeur is a consensus lottery pick in the draft. Shilo, though, a safety, has been left as an afterthought. Ironic since he plays in the “secondary.”

Shilo didn’t get invited to the NFL Combine down in Indy. This meant his future in the game rested on his Pro Day escapades. Colorado hosts its on April 4. In the meantime, there is absolute radio silence around Shilo Sanders. Sans any reporting or rumors of interested franchises. This feeds into the school of thought that Shilo will go undrafted. Which still doesn’t mean he won’t be on an NFL roster. Despite a lack of suitors, there’s a prevailing notion Shilo will get signed as at least a free agent. This has facilitated speculation around nepotism. 

The sensitive topic has been widely discussed in the wake of Bronny James’ inclusion at the Lakers. Now, Deion is a stand-up father like LeBron James who’ll want the best for his son. At the same time, he also projects as a coach who preaches a meritocracy. There’s a simmering belief that whichever team drafts Shedeur could be coerced into taking Shilo, too. Akin to a Giannis-Thanasis Antetokounmpo situation with the Milwaukee Bucks in the past. It’ll be interesting to see how things transpire over the next month. Maybe a franchise simply takes a punt on Shilo based on the Sanders gene pool.  For now though, Shilo Sanders will hope to impress on Pro Day. His plea for a protective order upstanding in court is a positive from his POV.