Deion Sanders’s preparation for the Colorado Buffaloes’ 2026 season opener faces a significant legal complication after the head coach was subpoenaed to testify in his son’s bankruptcy trial in Denver. The trial is scheduled to begin Monday, August 31, just days before Colorado travels to face Georgia Tech on Saturday, September 5.
The scheduling conflict drew direct acknowledgment from the bench during a pre-trial conference on August 14. Presiding Judge Michael E. Romero noted the overlap with the Buffaloes’ first game week. “I’m also concerned there’s a game: CU’s first game is that same week,” Romero said, according to a report by USA Today. “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.”
Sanders could file a motion to quash the subpoena, though the judge indicated the testimony is relevant to the core dispute. The bankruptcy case centers on whether a debt stemming from a 2015 incident can be discharged. John Darjean, a former security guard at Shilo Sanders’s school, alleged that Shilo inflicted injuries while Darjean attempted to confiscate a phone. After Shilo Sanders failed to appear at trial, Darjean secured a default judgment of $11.89 million.
Federal bankruptcy law bars the discharge of debts arising from “willful and malicious injury.” Judge Romero highlighted a potential link to the Colorado coach during the August 14 hearing. Shilo Sanders was allegedly on the phone with his father immediately before the 2015 altercation. “That conversation may be relevant,” Romero stated.
Legal alternatives exist that could keep Sanders on the practice field. Witnesses unavailable for trial often provide testimony via deposition, with the recording played in court. However, that route requires cooperation from both legal teams. If neither side agrees, or if the judge does not issue an order permitting remote testimony, Sanders may be compelled to step away from team meetings and practices to appear in person at the Denver courthouse.
Shilo Sanders, who spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent last year, remains the central figure in the bankruptcy filing. The outcome of the trial will determine if the nearly $12 million judgment survives the bankruptcy process. For the Colorado program, the immediate focus is on whether the head coach will be present for the final days of preparation before the season opener in Atlanta. The court’s rulings on the subpoena and potential deposition arrangements in the coming days will dictate the extent of the disruption.
