So far, Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders’ pep talks were the exclusive playlist for football athletes only. Not anymore. Coach Prime now lassoed in fans from the world of boxing as well. This time, it’s the 27-year-old pro-boxer who got mesmerized by Deion’s charm, so much so that he could immediately hit the “throwback” button as he got emotional on how the Buffs HC had stark similarities with his coach. Are you guessing who the boxer is? It’s none other than the super middleweight pugilist Edgar Berlanga. Deion’s association with the sports world outside football is not something new. Like Berlanga, Coach Prime’s fan club has another heavyweight champ from the wrestling ring. 

August 24 has been a bit different in the Buffs camp. Deion was not interacting with the players and the coaches, brainstorming the strategies now that August 29 was knocking at the door. Instead, Coach Prime engaged in a heart-to-heart conversation with Berlanga and another guest of the evening, boxer Andre Ward. But more than Ward, the Buffs HC’s inspirational talk struck a chord with Berlanga. Deion’s emphasis on athletes losing sight of their arduous journey struck a chord with the boxer. Coach Prime noted, “That kind of thing that people don’t believe. You know like what you up against? People don’t believe but they don’t understand, they don’t understand the journey.” 

This resonated deeply with Berlanga, who, back in 2021, was left with a torn left biceps. However, more than the injury, the boxer had a tough time dealing with the aftermath. But not even for once did his coach, Marc Farrait, let him run low on motivation. He appreciated the boxer’s journey and willingly gave him a second chance, similar to Deion’s outlook. 

“You sound like my coach man …when he grabbed me…nobody wanted me. I was basically like broken…I had an injury…nobody wanted me no trainers nothing and he came and picked me up and made me,” shared the boxer. Like Deion has won Berlanga’s trust, WWE legend Bill Goldberg lists himself at the top of the Buffs HC’s fan list. 

Evolution of Bill Goldberg and Deion Sanders’ relationship

Before stepping foot in the wrestling world, Goldberg shot to fame during his short stint in the NFL. Luckily, he landed on the Atlanta Falcons program and was paired with Deion. While playing for the Falcons, they developed a strong bond. However, besides being his teammate, Goldberg had an important role. As known, on the gridiron, it takes split seconds for heated arguments to escalate into a SmackDown spree, and he came as Deion’s biggest protector.

Goldberg shared a memory of how he lived up to the role of Coach Prime’s bodyguard, “I saved him after he got hot out of bounds. I was the weight staff and Deion treated me just like anybody else. By the way, had wrestling matches in the corner and anytime they picked him, he’d have me wrestle for him.” Now that they have both aged, their friendship has taken a new turn, that of respect.

This is so much so that Bill Goldberg trusts his longtime pal, Deion Sanders, to coach his son, Gage Goldberg. The young athlete initially committed to Alabama but later flipped his commitment to Colorado. And the revised call proved to be a stroke of genius as Goldberg himself seemed to be satisfied, “Oh my god, the difference in just my son alone is unbelievable. He’s bigger, stronger, faster and he is taking directions like he has never taken before.” And Coach Prime keeps sprinkling his fairy dust on everyone around.