Deion Sanders faces court date in Denver when Colorado opens at Georgia Tech

College football coach Deion Sanders has a scheduling problem. The Colorado coach has been subpoenaed to testify at the bankruptcy trial of his son, Shilo Sanders. The trial begins Aug. 31 in Denver and is expected to run about five days through Sept. 4. Colorado opens its season at Georgia Tech on Thursday, Sept. 3, at 8 p.m. ET. MORE: Why UCLA football gave Derek Carr a coaching title with no paycheck attached Why Deion Sanders was called as a witness Sanders is not on trial. He and Shilo’s mother, Pilar Sanders, were both removed from the original lawsuit years ago, leaving Shilo as the lone defendant. The Hall of Fame cornerback is wanted as a witness because of a phone call. John Darjean, a former security guard at Shilo’s Dallas school, says he tried to confiscate the teenager’s phone in September 2015. He says he did it at Deion Sanders’ direction. The father did not see the incident itself. But he was allegedly on the phone with Darjean shortly before it happened. “That conversation may be relevant,” Judge Michael E. Romero said at an Aug. 14 pretrial conference. $11.89 million judgment against Shilo Sanders Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Shilo Sanders (28) takes the field for warmups before a preseason game against the Tennessee Titans at Raymond James Stadium. Darjean sued and won an $11.89 million default judgment in Texas in 2022 after Shilo did not show up to defend himself. Shilo filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in October 2023 to erase it. The whole trial turns on one legal phrase. If Romero rules the injury was “willful and malicious,” the debt survives bankruptcy, and Shilo owes every dollar. If the defense proves self-defense, it goes away. Shilo, now 26, has been out of football since Tampa Bay released him in August 2025. He has no leverage here and no NFL paycheck coming. The judge already sees the Colorado conflict Romero raised the football problem himself, which tells you how visible this case has become. “I noticed Deion was subpoenaed,” Romero said. “I’m also concerned there’s a game: CU’s first game is that same week,” Romero added. “So I can see that coming. I am not a CU alum, or I have no ties to CU. So I don’t care. But I’m just recognizing that is a potential issue.” A federal bankruptcy judge is not going to move a trial so a coach can install a game plan. MORE: 10 more college football freaks missing from The Athletic’s list of star athletes What Deion Sanders can do next There is no record that Sanders was formally served yet. He can file a motion to quash the subpoena. Both sides could also agree to a video deposition played in court, which is common for unavailable witnesses. That requires cooperation Darjean’s attorneys may not offer. Colorado went 3-9 last season and enters Year 2 without Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. The Buffaloes are underdogs in Atlanta and need to start the season right against the Yellow Jackets. Every hour Sanders spends in a Denver courtroom is an hour away from a roster that lost its opener to Georgia Tech last season by one score. — Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —