Deion Sanders Responds to Son’s Controversial Comment to Female Reporter

Renowned NFL figure Deion Sanders has stepped in to defend his son Shilo following backlash over an inappropriate comment directed at sports journalist Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Browns.

Shilo, who was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a year after joining as an undrafted free agent, reacted strongly to Cabot’s suggestion that Deshaun Watson should start as the Browns’ quarterback instead of Shilo’s brother, Shedeur Sanders.

Currently a free agent, Shilo responded to Cabot’s remarks on social media with the comment, “Go make a sandwich Mary,” sparking widespread criticism.

Deion Sanders, often referred to as Coach Prime, addressed the controversy involving his son and Cabot, dismissing it as a display of familial support.

‘We don’t talk about nobody,’ Deion said on ‘The Barbershop’ with Garrett Bush. ‘We don’t do nothing to nobody. I know Shilo had a little altercation that he spoke up for his brother. You’ve got to understand, man, that’s his brother.

“God bless Mary Kay’s soul, but that’s his brother. She said something, and he responded—media dynamics have changed today. Many might not appreciate the traditional ways, but I do, having grown up in that era without a platform to speak. Shilo defended his brother and faced criticism for it,” he explained.

NFL legend Deion Sanders defended his son Shilo after he posted a disgusting sexist remark

Coach Prime weighed in and brushed the incident off as an instance of family loyalty

At the time, many felt Shilo’s sexist remark went beyond defending family as it sparked backlash among NFL fans. 

However, Shilo brushed off the controversy and later doubled down on his criticism of the reporter. 

‘If you’re gonna be a reporter, be a reporter and report facts. When your opinion is always hateful to Shedeur, it makes it seem like an agenda,’ he said in a Twitch stream. 

‘There’s plenty of women in this field that take this seriously. With you, it’s so much emotion. I don’t want you to make women look bad when it comes to reporting. We don’t care what you think is going to happen.’

Cabot, who has been covering the Browns for the last 30 years, later fired back, responding during an appearance on a Cleveland radio show. 

‘I know so many women who have joined the football world especially because of some of the things I’ve been able to do over the years. I’m happy about that,’ she said. 

She first drew Shilo’s ire by writing late last month that Watson ’emerged from the Browns’ voluntary minicamp last week with an edge over Shedeur Sanders in the two-man quarterback competition’.

She also revealed that coach Todd Monken wants to be clear on his starter ‘by the end of Browns minicamp’, which runs from June 9-11. That leaves Shedeur with just six weeks to prove himself.

Shilo hit out at reporter Mary Kay Cabot over a report she wrote on his brother Shedeur (left)

Mary Kay Cabot called for Deshaun Watson to be named Browns starter over Shedeur Sanders

‘I think they should declare him QB1 asap and let the 1st team offense start to cook,’ she wrote. ‘There’s no time to waste.’

Watson’s career has been hampered by a slew of injuries as well as numerous off-field issues stemming from multiple lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct and assault.

In the 2023 season, Watson fractured his shoulder and only started six games that campaign.

In Week 7 of the 2024 season, he tore his Achilles tendon – which resulted in him missing the remainder of the 2024 campaign and the entirety of the 2025 season.

As for Sanders, he struggled in his first season – completing 56 percent of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and ten interceptions.

The Browns have only made the playoffs twice in the last ten seasons and have gone a combined 8-26 in the last two campaigns.