Deion Sanders cuts players after reaction to blowout Colorado loss: ‘I have a problem with that’

Colorado football removed several players from its roster over “conduct detrimental to the team,” head coach Deion Sanders revealed during his weekly press conference on Tuesday. 

It’s not clear what exactly the unnamed players did, but Sanders explained that it wasn’t only due to what happened after the Buffaloes lost 41-7 to Northwestern on Saturday. 

Sanders said Saturday that he couldn’t understand how players could “find joy, or you can find a laughing matter when I’m right behind you walking [into the locker room]” after the road defeat. 

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders takes the field with his team for warmups before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Illinois, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“It’s never one [thing],” Sanders said Tuesday during his news conference. “I’m one of the most loving and giving and forgiving men you could ever meet, but when you start [having] conduct detrimental to the team, you don’t care about the team, you care about you, I have a problem with that. A year ago, I didn’t put my foot down in it enough. It lingered a little bit. Then, it imploded.

“I’m not doing that anymore.”

The program issued a statement following Sanders’ comments that said, “Any potential roster changes have not been finalized.” 

It also stated that it would release an updated roster later this week. 

On top of the news about the removal of several players, safety Ben Finneseth apologized for comments that were captured on video before the Buffaloes took the field at Martin Stadium, the temporary home of Northwestern football. 

Northwestern Wildcats wide receiver Ricky Ahumaraeze (10) gestures after getting a first down against the Colorado Buffaloes during the second half at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Illinois, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Finneseth said that the stadium “f–king sucks” and that this “s–t sounds like a f–king library.” 

“It was childish; it was a stupid thing that I said. It won’t happen again,” Finneseth told reporters, according to The Athletic. “The way I handled it was horrible. I promise you guys it will not happen again and it’ll be much more mature moving forward.”

Colorado is 2-1 to start the season and will face Baylor in its first Big 12 game on Saturday.