![Shilo Sanders | Michael Irvin [Inset] (Credits: Imagn)](https://collegefootballnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/shilo-sanders-getting-waived-early-08-26-25.jpg "Shilo Sanders Getting Waived Early By Tampa Bay Could Be Sneaky Tactic For Potential Return, Claims Michael Irvin")
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ decision to waive rookie safety Shilo Sanders has stirred debate, but Hall of Famer Michael Irvin believes the move may not be as straightforward as it looks.
Sanders, who is under constant spotlight for being the son of Colorado coach and NFL legend Deion Sanders and brother of Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, signed with Tampa Bay in April after going undrafted. His time with the team came to an abrupt halt just one day after he was ejected from the Buccaneers’ preseason finale against Buffalo for taking a swing at tight end Zach Davidson.
Meanwhile, Irvin, on his YouTube appearance, suggested the Buccaneers may have taken a calculated approach.
“Everybody’s kind of tying this into the kind of slap-punch that got him ejected in that preseason finale, but I don’t think that is it,” he said. “I think it can work as a double entendre. When Coach Bowles cut him, it sends a message to the locker room, ‘We can’t have that.’ But when you get a young player like this, it’s best to cut him early.”
According to Irvin, the timing plays into roster maneuvering.
“Because today and tomorrow, everybody will be cutting players, and a lot of them are veteran players. So, the young teams out here won’t claim him off waivers because they know a rush of veteran players is coming, and they have to save those spots to see if they can get one of those guys that can help them win right now,” he explained.
He believes that could open the door for Tampa Bay to stash Sanders on the practice squad again. He also added that the Bucs will only warn him to slow down and stop, not hit people, and not go too hard now.
On the contrary, head coach Todd Bowles was blunt after the waiver, saying,
“You can’t throw punches in this league. I mean, that’s inexcusable. They’re gonna get you every time. Gotta grow from that.”
Sanders recorded four tackles across three preseason games and was listed as a third-string safety on the depth chart before Saturday’s release.
Can Shilo Sanders Be Welcomed Back in Colorado After Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Waiver?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released Shilo Sanders during final roster cuts, leaving the ex-Colorado safety’s football career at a crossroads. Unlike many undrafted players, however, his path forward does not include a return to college football.
While some athletes can weigh that option, Sanders cannot. His situation differs from cases like Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins, a high draft pick who has yet to sign an NFL contract and thus technically could return to the NCAA. Sanders signed with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent in April, closing the door on any remaining eligibility.
The numbers further underscore that reality. Sanders already logged two seasons at South Carolina, two at Jackson State, and two at Colorado as a graduate transfer. With that full slate completed, his college career is considered exhausted regardless of contractual standing, which means Colorado cannot serve as a fallback.
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