Warren Sapp knows commitment. Whether he’s dominating the trenches or building Colorado’s pass rush, he’s all in. But even with spring practice in full swing, the new Buffs pass rush coordinator made one thing clear—football doesn’t come before family. So, he left Boulder behind and traveled across the country just to share a simple but meaningful meal with his daughter, Cede.

On March 16, Cede, aka Mercedes Sapp, took to Instagram to share a glimpse of their dinner date. In her first story, she posted a video of a bartender shaking up a cocktail, captioning it—“Dinner dates with Dad back at my favorite spot @roccatampa ft the rohan duck.” Her second story? A sweet tribute: “BEST FRIENDS FOREVER 🥹.” And honestly, it’s easy to see why.

Their night wasn’t just about good food; it was about making memories. They played a game of flipping a cylindrical wine bottle cork, trying to land it upright. Cede nailed it in just two tries, triggering an explosion of laughter and claps. The prize? Two sweet treats. But the real reward? A moment that mattered far more than any football practice.

This wasn’t just about fun and games. It was a reminder that, no matter how hectic things get in Boulder, Warren Sapp will always find time for his daughter. But that dinner wasn’t just a quick meet-up—it came with effort. He traveled 1,880 miles from Boulder to Tampa, pressing pause on everything just to be with Cede. It wasn’t a grand gesture, but it was the kind that spoke volumes—fatherhood always comes first.

Warren and Cede share a bond that runs deep. Sure, last season’s Buffs win against Utah was a big deal, but for Warren, the real victory was Cede’s “Forever proud of you, Dad” post. That was sure heartwarming. Now, Cede is the one cheering him on, joking, “Dad’s just a spectator now. I’m a cheerleader now; I wear their colors and everything.” That’s some solid support.

And then there was January 13—another highlight. During the Bucs’ wild-card game, Warren flashed on the big screen, grinning and waving. Cede’s reaction? A hyped Instagram reel with “heyyyyyyyyy!!! @warrensapp.” Legendary dad, legendary cameo. Like her father, Cede has sports in her DNA. She was a captain at Lake Highlands Prep and now works as the Student Athlete Enhancement Coordinator at USF, while her Tampa Bay legend dad gets love from Boulder.

Warren Sapp has never been shy about expressing his love for Cede. Just a month ago, he shared a throwback picture of himself holding baby Cede with the heartfelt caption—“When you’ve had the same Valentine’s Love for 27 years!” Her response? Equally sweet: “Stop, I love you 🥹🥹🥹🥹.” For now, Sapp is soaking up his time in Tampa. But just a day ago? He was commanding Folsom Field.

Warren Sapp’s vision for Colorado football 

This is not something unexpected. Now that Shedeur Sanders and Shilo Sanders are gone, all eyes are on Deion Sanders to see if he can keep the program alive. But this is where Warren Sapp stepped in, setting the tone for spring practice. He wasted no time drilling his players on technique and intensity. He later shared the sideline video on Instagram and captioned—“Coming this season #CoachSappCam #SappNotFishing #SkoBuffs #PRC 2025 first spring practice. #LetsGetIt.” And he meant every word. 

During a pre-game show interview with Uncle Neely, Warren Sapp didn’t just set expectations. He issued a warning for future opponents. “We gonna turn Folsom up; we gonna turn it up,” he declared.

“I want it so loud that you can’t hear your heartbeat in that thing. And we gonna play some D.” He also made a bold promise, saying, “Listen, I’m telling you, when we come up out of that thing, it’s going to be something to see. I promise you, we going to well turn and get this thing oiled up nice and all parts all shiny, we gonna go wreck this thing.” With him leading the charge, the Buffs defense isn’t just preparing to compete. They’re preparing to wreck shop. 

And if his journey to Tampa proves anything, it’s that when Warren Sapp commits to something, whether it’s coaching or fatherhood, he’s all in.