Shilo Sanders went into Saturday’s game against the Buffalo Bills fighting for a job — but may have taken the assignment a bit too literally.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety — the son of Colorado coach and former NFL legend Deion Sanders — was on the fringe of the roster bubble heading into his team’s preseason finale. Sanders ended up getting an early exit after he threw a punch at Bills tight end Zach Davidson in the second quarter, earning himself an ejection.
The incident was especially costly to Sanders, who was waived by the team just hours later.
Shilo Sanders Loses His Cool
Sanders signed with the Buccaneers as an undrafted rookie free agent and had been fighting for a spot in the secondary. Team insiders saw him as a likely cut before Saturday’s incident, but the fight may have sealed his fate.
As ESPN noted in its report on the game, Sanders seemed to get in hot water immediately after the fight.
“Sanders punched tight end Zach Davidson, who was blocking him, after some heavy pushing and shoving in the second quarter,” the report noted. “Bucs linebacker John Bullock tried to calm Sanders afterward, and Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles looked at Sanders as he walked back to the sideline.”
Bowles publicly called Sanders out after the game, setting the stage for his release early in the day on Sunday.
“You can’t throw punches in this league — that’s inexcusable,” Bowles said. “They’re going to get you every time. You’ve got to grow from that.”
Sanders and his brother, Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders, both faced a battle to make their respective NFL rosters. Shedeur Sanders came into the preseason fourth on the quarterback depth chart in Cleveland, but said this weekend that he believes he did enough to earn a roster spot.
“I think, overall as a player, I’ve put in the work,” Sanders said, via ESPN. “I feel like everything I do, I try to do it to my best, and that’s all I can ask for.
“I feel like everybody feels like they should be on the team. If you ask anybody on the team, would they feel like they belong — they belong in their own eyes. I feel like I do, but I’m my own player. I think about myself in a high regard, of course. It’s not my decision.”
Bills Face Their Own Difficult Secondary Decisions
The Bills have some of their own tough decisions ahead in the secondary, especially after being hit with some injuries over the last few weeks. The team’s first-round cornerback, Maxwell Hairston, has been out since July with a knee injury and veteran cornerback Tre’Davious White was hurt this week.
The Bills may need to bring in some outside help depending on how much longer Hairston and White could miss, and could turn to a familiar face. Cornerback Rasul Douglas, who started 15 games for the Bills last season, remains on the open market after hitting free agency and could make a return to Buffalo if the Bills want to bring in some trusted help.
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