Why Deion Sanders is being slammed for 'insulting' media restrictions around Colorado football

Entering Year 4 at the helm for Colorado, Deion Sanders is maintaining high standards for his program.

Coming off a 3-9 record in 2025 — the worst of his Buffaloes tenure so far — Sanders is hopeful that a 2026 team led by quarterback Julian Lewis can bounce back and return to the heights of the Shedeur Sanders-Travis Hunter era. "Coach Prime" hasn't been shy about unique team policies as a head coach. 

Sanders' latest restrictions surrounding Tuesday's preseason practice for the Buffaloes, however, resulted in some backlash.

Here's what to know about Sanders' strict media rules implemented at a recent Colorado practice.

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Deion Sanders media rules

USA Today first reported on Monday that for Colorado's practice at Franklin Field the following day, in a rare instance, Sanders and the team were inviting the public and media to attend a preseason practice. But that invitation came with rules.

Here's a look at some of the restrictions listed by Sanders and Colorado for the recent practice.

No documentation

Essentially, reporters attending Tuesday's practice were told they could not record videos, post anything to social media or document in any fashion.

“This practice is open for viewing purposes only,” Sanders said in an Aug. 10 email from the Colorado athletic department to the news media, per USA Today. “It is closed for all reporting, recording and documentation purposes. Nothing observed at practice may be reported, published, posted, broadcast or otherwise shared in any form, on any platform, at any time.”

As part of the restrictions, cell phones, tablets, cameras, video equipment, audio recorders, smart glasses and any other recording-capable devices were prohibited. And there were measures in place — phones were collected and bagged at the gate for both fans and reporters, then returned afterward.

Not even simple note-taking was permitted by Sanders. 

“No note-taking of any kind — written, typed, dictated or otherwise,” the email stated, per USA Today. “No photography, videography, audio recording, sketching or diagramming. No live coverage, live posting or real-time updates of any kind.”

No reporting

Going hand-in-hand with the anti-technology and documentation rules was a general ban on reporting. Colorado's athletic department told media members that "no reporting" was allowed on injuries, personnel groupings, formations, play calls, trick plays, individual player performances or essentially, “personnel information of any kind.”

“If you are uncertain whether something is reportable, the answer is that it is not,” the school’s email said, per USA Today. “When in doubt, contact the Athletic Communications Office before publishing anything connected to this practice.”

Potential punishments

The rules put in place for Tuesday's practice also came with potential punishment for reporters. If they violated a rule, Colorado Athletics said they could have their media credential revoked.

“Violations of these guidelines may result in removal from the facility, revocation of credentials and restriction of future access for the individual and the outlet, consistent with CU Athletics media policies,” the email said, per USA Today.

Here's a look at the full email sent to reporters:

— Tony Farmer (@Tonysmarkettips) August 12, 2026

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Backlash to Deion Sanders media rule

Naturally, reporters were highly critical of Sanders' apparent media rules for Colorado's practice, questioning why the team would even invite them at all.

Here's a look at some of the backlash Sanders and the Buffaloes received for their media rules:

Any reporter who agrees to this is compromised. While my "sports" reporting days are in the past, here's how I'd handle: I'd refuse to go. Not only is it the only right decision, there's this: you retain ethical freedom to report anything that occurred.https://t.co/BpQnU4WAvV

— Jim Baumbach (@jimbaumbach) August 12, 2026— Tim Fitzgerald 💙☘️🌾 (@LifeofFitz) August 13, 2026

The CIA is now running Colorado football security. https://t.co/ojnOYmvscu

— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) August 13, 2026

Why would you even go to practice? Just close it at that point instead of insulting everybody involved. https://t.co/WVj6iYaGvO

— Jason Scheer (@jasonscheer) August 13, 2026

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