{"id":23532,"date":"2023-02-14T16:15:21","date_gmt":"2023-02-14T21:15:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=23532"},"modified":"2023-03-15T15:20:50","modified_gmt":"2023-03-15T19:20:50","slug":"deion-sanders-criticized-for-team-led-prayers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2023\/02\/deion-sanders-criticized-for-team-led-prayers.html","title":{"rendered":"Deion Sanders Criticized For Team-Led Prayers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kathy Hutchins \/ Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Former NFL star and current University of Colorado Boulder football coach Deion Sanders is the latest figure to fall under the ire of the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) for the \u201cpromotion of religion and potential religious coercion through the football program.\u201d The FFRF sent a\u00a0<\/span>letter<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to the University of Colorado Boulder in late January entitled \u201cUnconstitutional Religious Coercion in Football Program.\u201d The letter referred to \u201cmultiple concerned Colorado residents\u201d who were bothered by team-led prayers. The letter cited that \u201c\u2026new football coach Deion Sanders has been infusing his program with Christianity and engaging in religious exercises with players and staff members.\u201d It referenced a staff member leading a Christian prayer in December during an official meeting and another prayer in January where a staff member led players and coaches in a Christian prayer. The letter also accused Sanders of being part of a \u201cpray to play\u201d structure where players are coerced into praying for fear that they may not be permitted to play. \u201cPlayers trying to please their coach surely will feel immense pressure to participate in religious activities and go along with Coach Sanders\u2019 proselytizing,\u201d the letter stated. It also stated that the recent Supreme Court Decision\u00a0<\/span>in Kennedy vs. Bremerton<\/span><\/a>, which permitted a football coach\u2019s after-hours prayers on the field after games, still reaffirmed that schools could not make prayers and participation obligatory.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sanders has often brought up his Christian faith throughout his career. He openly <\/span>praised God<\/span><\/a>\u00a0during his first press conference as the new University of Colorado\u2019s head football coach. He also had team-led prayers as the previous head coach at Jackson State. The FFRF noted that Sanders had\u00a0<\/span>led<\/span><\/a>\u00a0his former team in prayer and response at midfield. The article the letter cited referred to receiving \u201cvirtually full participation\u201d from his players at the event. After leading his players in prayer, he encouraged them to \u201cbe safe\u201d and that he loved them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In response to the FFRF letter, Patrick O\u2019Rourke, Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer of the University of Colorado responded that Sanders was \u201creceptive\u201d to changes. \u201cLast Friday, the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance personally met with Coach Sanders to provide guidance on the non-discrimination policies, including guidance on the boundaries in which players and coaches may and may not engage in religious expression. Coach Sanders was very receptive to this training and came away from it with a better understanding of the University of Colorado\u2019s policies and the requirements of the Establishment Clause,\u201d the letter said. He also told the FFRF to refer any complaints from any players or coaches to the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance. The FFRF has not stated that any of the complaints came from any of Sanders\u2019s players or staff. It is not clear what kind of changes the university intends to implement to appease the FFRF, but the foundation did respond positively to the university\u2019s letter. \u201cFFRF appreciates the University of Colorado taking seriously its commitment to secularism and diversity,\u201d the Foundation\u00a0<\/span>stated<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Former NFL star and current University of Colorado Boulder football coach Deion Sanders is the latest figure to fall under the ire of the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) for the \u201cpromotion of religion and potential religious coercion through the football program.\u201d The FFRF sent a\u00a0letter\u00a0to the University of Colorado Boulder in late January entitled…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":664,"featured_media":23535,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-television"],"yoast_head":"\nDeion Sanders Criticized For Team-Led Prayers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Deion Sanders has recently been under fire for hosting team-led prayers while coaching his football team.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" 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