Deion Sanders has been a pretty busy businessman off the football field at Boulder. From launching his customized Moto Razr phone with Boost Mobile to partnering with Nike for a shoe line, he’s proven himself a savvy entrepreneur. However, EA Sports has left him hanging regarding a potential partnership.

A few months ago, Deion Sanders publicly expressed his interest in collaborating with EA Sports, stating through “Well Off Media“ that “EA Sports, we do business.” This seemed like a clear invitation for a partnership with the video game giant. Yet, EA Sports remained silent, leaving many to speculate about their lack of response. Adding to the intrigue, EA Sports recently revealed the roster for College Football 25, and Deion Sanders was notably absent. This has raised eyebrows about the relationship between Sanders and EA Sports, and the reason behind it is now becoming clear.

EA Sports College Football 25 omits real-life coaches

The recently released EA Sports College Football 25 trailer features several rising stars like Jalen Milroe, Quinn Ewers, and even Deion Sanders’ favorite two-way star, Travis Hunter. These are just over 10,000 athletes agreed to be included in the game. This virtual world also features “Dynasty Mode,” allowing fans to create their coach and build a legacy. However, the game won’t have any real-life coaches. So, it’s not just Deion Sanders, but other famous coaches like Lane Kiffin and Kirby Smart won’t be there either.

On the DNVR Sports live show, Jake Schwanitz and Harrison Wind discussed this, with the former confirming, “They said no coaches in this game.” Wind then playfully speculated, “What if he’s [Coach Prime] the only coach in the game? I would not be surprised.” He then added how it would be to have “Deion Sanders in the sunglasses and cowboy hat” amidst all the “generic coaches” in the video game. “That would actually be hilarious,” he said as the duo laughed. Jokes aside, now we know why the popular Deion Sanders isn’t in the game, but why didn’t Shedeur make the cover?

Shedeur and Deion Sanders are no longer good for marketing

Coach Prime already joined the Madden lineup last year as an NFL draft advisor, mentoring rookie players in their “superstar” mode. This year, his quarterback son, Shedeur, has been a hot topic in college football, with many expecting him to be a top contender in the 2025 draft and a potential Heisman Trophy winner. Given this buzz and the Sanders family’s existing relationship with EA Sports, father and son were expected to feature prominently in College Football 25.

However, neither Deion nor Shedeur made the cut. Instead, Buffs found some solace in seeing Travis Hunter on the cover. Recently, Matt McChesney explained this decision as purely business, suggesting, “I think that would bring a lot of hate, not necessarily a lot of people like it.” He further emphasized, “The hate is real out there.” This hints that the recent negativity surrounding Coach Prime and Shedeur Sanders might have influenced EA Sports’ decision to exclude them from the game’s promotional materials before its July 19 launch.