Deion Sanders’ Sickness Forces Elite Prospect to Make Tough Colorado Announcement After Son Shedeur’s Cryptic Stance

It’s summer workout season in Boulder, and the Colorado Buffaloes are back on campus. But you know who’s not? Coach Prime. Yep—Deion Sanders is MIA, and the vibes are way off. No gold chains flashing or Bible verses flying at midfield. While Coach Prime’s out battling what folks are calling a “unspecific sickness,” it’s not just the fans feeling the void—a top recruit just hit pause on his visit. And Shedeur Sanders? The Browns QB out here dropping cryptic vibes, not answers.

Let’s cut to it. Mark Holloway, a 6-foot-4, 296-pound offensive lineman out of Lakewood High in Florida, was locked in for his official Colorado visit this past weekend. We’re talking flights booked, itinerary printed, socks packed—the whole nine. But then, on June 10th, Holloway went public on X, dropping the unexpected: “Due to coach prime being out sick I have changed my official visit date to @CUBuffsFootball to September 9th.”

See, when Prime offered Holloway last month, the lineman was ecstatic. “”When I got the offer, I was jumping up and down with excitement” level excited. It wasn’t just about the offer—it was the Coach Prime effect. Colorado is not exactly handing out invites to every three-star with a pulse. Holloway was only holding one other Power Four offer, and this one hit different. He lined up an official visit faster and doubled down how blessed he was to receive an offer: “I was super happy and grateful that God gave me the ability to be blessed.”

Now the visit’s postponed. Not cancelled. Not ghosted. Postponed. That’s a key distinction. Because Holloway isn’t running from the smoke—he just wants Coach Prime in the room when he makes his choice. That’s how deep Prime’s pull is. Let’s be clear: Holloway isn’t just some under-the-radar gamble. He’s playing for Lakewood High—one of the premier NFL factories in the country. We’re talking  alumni like Shaquill Griffin, Dante Fowler Jr., Isaiah Wynn, Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Seven players drafted in a decade? Crazy numbers.

And Colorado wants him. Bad. Holloway is the kind of big-bodied interior lineman that this Prime-led Buffs program needs to put some real meat in the trenches. You saw what happened last year—Shedeur was running for his life every Saturday. No shade, just facts. Adding someone like Holloway is the difference between a highlight play and a stretcher.

The visit was originally scheduled for June 6–8, right as Buffs camps were kicking off. The timing? Perfect. But then Prime’s health took center stage. Word first slipped when he appeared on Asante Samuel’s podcast, and things got real. “What I’m dealing with right now is at a whole ‘nother level,” Prime said, revealing he’d lost 14 pounds and was clearly battling something serious. USA TODAY called it an “unspecified health issue,” but the mystery only added fuel to the fire.

Which brings us to the next part of the story—and it’s not a twist you’ll see coming.

Shedeur Sanders Avoids Answering Reporter’s Question About Deion Sanders’ Health

So while Prime is off the grid, guess who’s catching heat at NFL camp? That’d be Shedeur Sanders, now repping the Cleveland Browns. Tuesday afternoon, local Browns legend Mary Kay Cabot tossed a question Shedeur’s way—a layup, really: What’s going on with your pops?

Shedeur didn’t bite the bait. In fact, he shut her down with class. “Yeah I don’t know what’s going on. So I’m not here to talk about Pops and them. I’m here to be the Quarterback of the Cleveland Browns.” Cold. Calm. No fumbles.

But let’s be real here. Cabot’s been around forever, and she knew what she was doing. It’s the kinda question that gets social media buzzing and drives the narrative. But Shedeur? He shut it down like a cornerback with stickum gloves. “I’m focused on learning this playbook and everything I need to do to be the most successful quarterback I could be. And be the best teammate I can be. Outside of that, I don’t really have any thoughts on anything outside this game.”

The internet, of course, had questions. How does Shedeur not know what’s going on? Is Prime really that sick? But let’s slow it down. Deion Jr. already clarified the sitch last week, saying Prime’s in recovery mode and just ain’t back on campus yet. Shedeur ain’t hiding anything. He’s just sticking to the script.

It’s also worth pointing out: Shedeur’s NFL fall was brutal. Once hyped as a top-5 pick, he slid down the draft board like it was iced. Shedeur has a point to prove in Cleveland before regular season starts. The word around the street; Sanderson is QB4 on the chart, and the last thing he wants is to get tangled in sideline stories. It’s not about Dad right now—it’s about the playbook, the reps, and not ending up behind a vet clipboard all season.

Still, with Deion Sanders’ absence hanging like fog over Folsom Field, fans are wondering what’s next. Recruits like Holloway are trying to work around it. His reschedule is not a red flag—it’s a chess move. He’s betting on Prime being back, fully recharged, gold whistle in hand come fall. And if he is? That September 9th visit might just seal the deal.

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