Colorado Buffaloes football star Shilo Sanders, the son of head coach and NFL legend Deion Sanders, has filed for bankruptcy at age 24 after a Texas court issued a default judgment in favor of a security officer over an alleged Sept. 2015 assault.
John Darjean, who was a security officer at Focus Academies in Dallas, Texas, where Shilo Sanders attended the Focus Academies high school Triple A Academy, was awarded $11.89 million in a default judgment, according to Westword . Shilo Sanders allegedly assaulted Darjean, a former New York Yankees baseball prospect, as the security officer attempted to implement disciplinary action over allegedly causing disruptions in class.
Darjean’s complaint for non-discharge of debt filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for Colorado on Jan. 29 claims the now college football safety was taken to in-school suspension after breaking the school's no-phone policy.
The complaint says one of Coach Prime's assistant coaches came to Darjean's office with the two-time Super Bowl winner on the phone, who instructed the security guard to take the phone off his son, who was said to be on a call with Pilar, his ex-wife since 2013. According to the filing, Deion Sanders told Darjean: "You're my brother in Christ, I need you to go get the phone...as soon as you get the phone from him, give me a call back."
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According to Darjean's complaint, it was at that point that Shilo Sanders allegedly slammed his elbow into Darjean’s chest and continued punching the officer. As a result, Darjean claims he was taken to hospital in an ambulance. In a separate legal filing, Shilo acknowledges that an incident took place - but denies or claims he fails to remember many of Darjean's version of events.
In a lawsuit filed in Dallas District Court in 2016, Darjean claimed he had "sustained severe and permanent injuries including a broken neck, damage to his cervical spine, permanent neurological injuries and irreversible incontinence."
In a 2022 trial, in which Shilo Sanders did not appear, the court ruled in Darjean's favor, ruling he should be paid $11.89m. Pursuant to a default judgment, the court found Shilo Sanders had committed assault and battery. Shilo claims he had no knowledge of the lawsuit or opportunity to defend himself.
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The amount hasn't been paid, according to Darjean's attorneys, and Shilo Sanders filed for bankruptcy in Oct. last year after claiming to have just $320,477 to his name despite his NIL valuation reportedly standing at $1.1m. In Shilo Sanders' response in Bankruptcy Court this February, he claimed he had acted in self-defense and that the security officer's actions are what caused the incident.
His attorneys have filed a motion for summary judgment and if Shilo Sanders' motion is granted, Darjean, who has filed a request for more time to respond, will not be able to collect on the Texas judgment of $11.89m. Mirror Sport US has reached out to Shilo Sanders' agency and Darjean's attorneys for comment.
Shilo Sanders will return to the Buffaloes next season to play another season under the stewardship of his father, as well as play in the same team as his quarterback brother, Shedeur Sanders. Both of the Sanders brothers are expected to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft following the conclusion of the 2024 season. Shedeur Sanders is considered one of the top quarterbacks in his draft class.
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