Deion Sanders Calls Out Virginia Football for Alleged Tampering with Colorado Player
College football’s transfer portal has rapidly evolved into a wild west-style free agency system, where players can jump ship, and big money often talks louder than loyalty. It’s no longer a secret that behind-the-scenes maneuvering — or outright tampering — is becoming a major subplot in the offseason drama.
And now, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders is putting that issue front and center, pointing fingers directly at Virginia and its head coach, Tony Elliott.
In a bold and unfiltered video statement, Sanders openly accused the Cavaliers of attempting to poach one of Colorado’s top defensive players by luring him into the transfer portal — without any official move or clearance. Sanders didn’t mince words, slamming what he views as shady recruitment tactics. “Tampering is real,” he emphasized, clearly frustrated by what he considers a violation of trust and ethics in the game.
While Sanders didn’t name the player in question, his tone and message were unmistakably clear: Virginia crossed a line. The implication? Someone from Elliott’s program allegedly reached out to the player before he ever entered the portal, which would be a serious breach of NCAA rules. One telling detail that raised eyebrows was the player’s portal entry with a “no contact tag” — a move that typically signals prior communications may have already occurred.
Whether anything official will come of the accusations remains to be seen, but Sanders’ public takedown has certainly turned up the heat. Fans and insiders alike are now waiting to hear if Tony Elliott responds — though, as Sanders predicted, a “no comment” seems the likeliest reply.
This episode further highlights how murky the transfer landscape has become. As NIL money continues to reshape the college sports ecosystem, accusations like these may only grow more common — and more public.
For now, all eyes are on Virginia. But one thing’s for sure: Coach Prime isn’t afraid to shine a spotlight on what he sees as foul play in the ever-shifting game of modern college football.