University of Colorado head football coach Deion Sanders (pictured below) recently gave each one of his players who are fathers a pre-loaded savings account to emphasize the importance of fatherhood and help teach them some financial literacy.
At a team meeting last Sunday (Aug. 25), "Coach Prime" (as his players call him) talked to the team about a topic that is at the center of his value system – fatherhood. He opened the scriptures and showed them how much God prioritizes fatherhood. Then he called the eight CU Buffalo players who are fathers to the front of the room and, in conjunction with Elevations Credit Union, presented each one with a savings account and $2,121 – a nod to his jersey number in the NFL.
The move by Sanders impressed Derrick Hollie of Project 21. "He's done more and accomplished more as an athlete than most," he points out. "And so, for him to take this position now as a father and promote for his players, I think, is outstanding."
Elevations Credit Union had already been working with the CU football team teaching financial literacy, a tool Hollie says is important for young men who come into sudden wealth – which, with NIL money*, can be substantial.
"These kids now are making more in high school and college than they would as a rookie in the NFL," Hollie explains. "These guys on draft night … have already in place through NIL deals when they got drafted, they had private jets waiting for each one of them to go to their NFL team."
Sanders has made fatherhood one of the central tenets of his team, every bit as important as a good pass rush or a strong offensive line. Hollie's totally on board with that.
"And just the importance of black family, that structure – it's so important. And it seems like it's on the decline right now."
* Name, image and likeness – refers to a person's legal right to control how their image is used, including commercially.
