Skip to main content

Jackson State coach Deion Sanders was a talker but not a fighter during his 14-season NFL career. The six-time All-Pro took over as head football coach at the SWAC program in 2020 and is building the HBCU into a real college football power. However, that’s rubbing some SWAC coaches the wrong way, including Alabama State’s Eddie Robinson Jr., who got into a physical altercation with “Prime Time” after Jackson State’s 26-12 win on Saturday.

Deion Sanders ‘Ain’t SWAC,’ according to rival coach

Head Coach Deion Sanders of the Jackson State Tigers.
Deion Sanders | Don Juan Moore/Getty Images

NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders’ Jackson State Tigers dispatched the Alabama State Hornets 26-12 on Saturday to move to 5-0 on the season.

After the game, Sanders and Alabama State coach Eddie Robinson Jr. met at midfield for the customary head coach handshake. Robinson shook hands, but when Sanders went in for the hug, Robinson pushed the former defensive back away.

Sanders pushed back, and law enforcement security accompanying them separated the pair.  

After the game, Robinson had some harsh words for Sanders, who the Alabama State coach thought “made disrespectful comments” leading up to the game, per ESPN.

“I’m going to always be respectful and respect the game, Robinson said. “You’ve got the great [coaches], W.C. Gorden, Eddie Robinson [no relation], those guys, Marino Casem, I’m living on the shoulders of the SWAC.”

“He ain’t SWAC. I’m SWAC, he ain’t SWAC,” Robinson continued. “He’s in the conference, doing a great job, can’t knock that, got a great team, his son should be up for the Heisman Trophy, I love [Sanders’ son and Jackson St. QB] Shedeur, great player, I love what he’s doing for the conference. … But you’re not going to come here and disrespect me and my team and my school and then want a bro hug. Shake my hand and get the hell off.”

Sanders fired back just as hard.

“I’m not one to come back the next day and you going to pick up the phone and you going to apologize and we straight,” Sanders said. “No, not whatsoever. You meant that mess. And one of the comments that kind of disturbed me out of all the comments, that I’m not SWAC. Who is? I got time today. Who is SWAC if I ain’t SWAC? Who is SWAC if I ain’t SWAC?”

Robinson got the last message in, though, making a wish and a promise for next season.

“I hope [Deion Sanders] comes back next year, I pray he don’t get a Power 5 job, so we can play them next year in Jackson,” Robinson finished. “And I pray they put us for their damn homecoming.”

Deion Sanders and the Tigers try to continue their unbeaten season next week vs. the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at 4 pm ET on Saturday, October 15.

Like Sportscasting on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @sportscasting19 and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Related

NBA Legend Endorses Deion Sanders as Next Dallas Cowboys Head Coach

Best in NCAA
Staff Writer, Producer - NFL

Tim Crean

Tim Crean started writing about sports in 2016 and joined Sportscasting in 2021. He excels with his versatile coverage of the NFL and soccer landscape, as well as his expertise breaking down sports media, which stems from his many years downloading podcasts before they were even cool and countless hours spent listening to Mike & The Mad Dog and The Dan Patrick Show, among other programs.

As a longtime self-professed sports junkie who even played DII lacrosse at LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York, Tim loves reading about all the latest sports news every day and considers it a dream to write about sports professionally. He’s a lifelong Buffalo Bills fan from Western New York who mistakenly thought, back in the early ’90s, that his team would be in the Super Bowl every year. He started following European soccer — with a Manchester City focus — in the early 2000s after spending far too much time playing FIFA.

When he’s not enjoying a round of golf or coaching youth soccer and flag football, Tim likes reading the work of Bill Simmons, Tony Kornheiser, Chuck Klosterman, and Tom Wolfe.