Deion Sanders Says He's Not A 'Baby Daddy, I'm A Father' After Ex-Wife Pilar Called Out His Parenting
Former Dallas Cowboys player Deion Sanders emphasized the importance of being a good father on the first episode of 'Outta Pocket with RGIII.'
Sanders, who has always emphasized the importance of being an attentive father, was met with some criticism from his ex-wife Pilar Sanders who accused him of neglecting their daughter and sabotaging her chances to attend a better school for sports.
"You always talk about a present person; don't. Stop talking about a present parent. Don't make me say more than I have to say. Stop talking about being a present parent," Pilar said in an online video back in April.
Sanders, 57, addressed what he feels is the importance of being a present dad to his children on the podcast published Tuesday.
"I'm a divorced father, but I didn't stop fathering. Won custody of my kids that I never stopped fathering. ... I've been there the whole time. ... I've built my life around my kids. The moves I made was based on my babies, not me. My babies. They was based on what was good for them, so I take pride in that," Coach Prime said. "I ain't no baby daddy. I'm a father."
The Colorado Buffaloes football head coach also pointed out how there is minimal representation of present Black fathers on television.
He referenced 'The Jeffersons' and 'Sanford and Son' and how he "used to watch them and see that connectivity that they had with their sons, and it was just so darn phenomenal, man. I would mimic that. We don't have that on television right now. We can't even think about a relationship with a Black man and a son on television, so now we turn to sports and we making a comeback."
One of Sanders's main points was that the most important thing to do in fatherhood is "to be present. You don't have to be perfect."
Pilar, who was married to the former Dallas Cowboys cornerback from 1999–2015, called out Sanders for what she perceived as lack of support surrounding their daughter's decision to transfer colleges earlier this year.
Their daughter, Shelomi, 20, entered the player's transfer portal after one season with the Buffaloes. According to the 'Atlanta Black Star,' the 5'6 baller played 11 combined minutes across five games.
"You don't enter the portal - you get a team. You kind of get a team before you enter the portal," the college football coach said. "You don't - that's what I would advise a child. And I know, 'Well, it's illegal.' Come on, man ... everybody that knows somebody, knows somebody. ... You kind of want them to do something, and she has been truly advised."
Pilar, 49, shot back in an Instagram video: "Stop talking about a present parent. Don't make me say more than I have to say stop talking about being a present parent."
