Leave it to Deion Sanders, aka “Prime Time,” to flip a viral moment that was meant to injure him and use it as currency in order to monetize it.
Prime, the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, who customarily dons sunglasses and a cowboy hat, had some shade thrown his way by archrival coach Jay Norvell of the Colorado State Rams earlier in the week. Norvell barked during an interview that he takes his sunglasses and hat off when he speaks to adults because that’s what his mother taught him.
Most everyone took it as a slight to both Sanders and his upbringing, as well as an indirect dig at his mother.
Sanders leveraged that viral moment into a cash cow as, just a few days later, he signed a deal with custom sunglasses maker, Blenders Eyewear.
The flamboyant hall of famer handed out pairs of the sunglasses to each member of his football team. Even more significantly, gave one each to ESPN’s highest-profile personalities Stephen A. Smith, Shannon Sharpe, Pat McAfee as well as to Hollywood heavyweight The Rock during live television programming.
That gesture ignited a consumer explosion as Blenders Eyewear reports that it sold $1.2 million worth of the custom stunners.
Deion Sanders recently launched a line of custom sunglasses with Blenders Eyewear.
So when the Colorado St. head coach commented on him wearing them during interviews, Sanders took advantage.
Coach Prime handed them out to the entire team, which went viral on social media. And… pic.twitter.com/3kw9tPpYGQ
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) September 16, 2023
Sanders to Norvell using Norvell’s words against him, calling out Norvell’s comments during an appearance on the ultra popular show, ESPN’s “College Gameday” on Saturday, Sept. 16.
“When you so right, you have to find something wrong,” Sanders said on the show. “We are so right right now. You got to find something wrong. If you search and go through this, you can’t talk about the kids. You can’t talk about the coaches. You can’t talk about the way we play. You have to come at me personally. You have to find something wrong.
“But guess what? My mama may be a part of the pregame speech today. My mama may be a part of that today. I’m just letting you know.”
Later on Saturday night, despite CSU’s valiant performance, Sanders led his Buffaloes to a riveting, come-from-behind victory, 43-35, in double overtime.
And once again, Sanders has gotten the last — and loudest — laugh.
