NFL Rumors: Insiders Believe Deion Sanders Will Advise Shedeur, Shilo Instead of Agent

There is a "belief in league circles" that Shedeur and Shilo Sanders will be advised in the NFL by their father, Deion Sanders, rather than an NFLPA-certified agent, according to NBC Sports' Mike Florio.

The report comes after Shedeur and Shilo Sanders were not named on a new list of players with agents shared by the NFLPA, per Florio.

As Florio noted, negotiations over rookie-scale contracts are limited by the NFL's current collective bargaining agreement. The CBA mandates different contract maximums and minimums depending on where players are selected in the draft, but each prospect is signed to a four-year deal.

Within these rules, players and their representatives can only negotiate smaller changes to aspects of the contract like signing bonuses and incentives.

Caleb Williams did not hire NFLPA-approved representation prior to his selection at the top of the 2024 draft. Williams was the last Bears draft pick to ink his rookie deal by the time he agreed to terms last July.

Florio reported in an appearance on 670 The Score last July that his understanding of the delay was in part because the lawyer negotiating for Williams wasn't "as versed in the nuances of the contract as an experienced and competent agent would be."

Lamar Jackson, who reportedly leaned on his mother, Felicia Jones, rather than an agent while negotiating his own rookie contract, became arguably the highest-profile player to negotiate a deal without NFLPA-certified representation when he agreed to a five-year, $260 million extension with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023.

As Florio pointed out, Deion Sanders has the reach to influence the predraft process even without NFLPA credentials. His media presence, which currently includes a weekly talk show on Tubi, will allow him to take a public stance on any rumors surrounding his sons as the draft approaches.