Deion Sanders, the head coach for Colorado football, encountered a “highly credible threat” last September involving two individuals intending to possibly harm him, along with various other threats throughout the season, as revealed by his bodyguard in Season 3 of the “Coach Prime” documentary series.

Michael Rhodes, Sanders’ bodyguard, shared that he wears nitrile gloves when handling Sanders’ mail and utilizes a machine to check for any hazardous substances.

In the lead-up to the Colorado State game on September 14, Rhodes indicated that various law enforcement agencies were called in to ensure Sanders’ safety after receiving “multiple threats about people trying to harm Coach,” specifying one concerning two individuals “who were possibly attempting to tackle Coach, before, during, or following the game.”

Rhodes noted that he routinely forwards death threats to police and the FBI.

“I have to stay vigilant,” Rhodes stated. “I must be alert. I need to carefully observe the crowd, noting everyone’s body language, facial expressions, and hand movements because not everyone supports Coach. … Given all the death threats, it’s hard to distinguish who means well. My sole responsibility is to keep Coach safe so he can coach the team effectively.”

These insights were shared in the newly released Season 3 of “Coach Prime,” which premiered on Amazon Prime Video. This season focuses on the 2024 Colorado football campaign under Sanders and offers five episodes, available for streaming as of Tuesday.

What other highlights are featured in Season 3 of ‘Coach Prime?’

Besides these serious topics, viewers will also learn about freshman offensive lineman Jordan Seaton’s commitment to yoga and his pescatarian lifestyle, Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter’s involvement in his wedding song choices, and Sanders’ candid remarks directed at game officials after fans threw objects at his team during a contest against Texas Tech.

The show is produced by Sanders’ business manager at SMAC Entertainment, which maintains editorial control over the series while receiving input from the University of Colorado.

This causes the series to act as a recruiting tool for Sanders and Colorado football, blending emotional narratives, such as one player’s battle with lymphoma and the sentencing of another player’s father in drug-related offenses.

‘That’s what this country desires’

It’s a promotional opportunity that many coaches would envy, yet few can replicate. However, this increased attention on Sanders also makes him and his family targets for public scrutiny.

“Many media personalities have come to realize that merely mentioning me, or (his son) Shedeur, or Colorado, or Travis, will garner attention,” Sanders states in Episode 2 of the season. “And that’s what people are seeking – considerable attention. … Everyone has their own social media and platforms. Even someone with just 500 followers wants six. So whatever they need to do to achieve that, they will.”

The new season does not include the team’s last game at the Alamo Bowl on December 28, which resulted in a 36-14 defeat to BYU, likely due to production schedules. Similarly, Hunter’s Heisman victory in New York on December 14 is only referenced briefly in the final episode. The rest of the season primarily centers on Sanders as he coaches his youngest sons in college – quarterback Shedeur and safety Shilo – and details his connections with other players, including Hunter.

‘I don’t want to hear that nonsense’

Colorado wrapped up the season with a 9-4 record after a 4-8 finish during Sanders’ inaugural season in Boulder the previous year. The Buffaloes managed to attract sellout crowds for nearly all of their 2024 games and recorded the largest TV viewership ever for the Alamo Bowl, with 8 million viewers.

During a game, specifically a 41-27 victory over Texas Tech in November, the crowd became unruly, prompting Sanders to urge officials to take action. Episode 5 of the season captures the exchange.

“Something needs to be done about the crowd,” Sanders addressed the officials during the game. “People are throwing bottles and other objects now. Action has to be taken.”

One of the officials responded to him with a warning.

“One thing I was planning to mention is, the next time you score and your players blow kisses to the crowd,” the official remarked.

This triggered an angry reaction from Sanders, who felt that while he was raising concerns about his team’s safety, officials wanted to divert attention to player conduct.

“Hey, we can blow kisses if we want,” Sanders retorted, his voice elevated. “That’s irrelevant to the fact that bottles are being thrown! I don’t want to hear that nonsense. The bottles being thrown is the real issue! That’s football! That’s just the game!”