Buccaneers Waive Rookie Safety Shilo Sanders After Preseason Ejection

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have waived rookie safety Shilo Sanders following his ejection for throwing a punch in a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills. Sanders, an undrafted free agent and son of coach Deion Sanders, was fighting for a spot on the Buccaneers' 53-man roster but was released as NFL teams cut rosters ahead of the 2025 season. Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles criticized Sanders' conduct, stating that throwing punches is inexcusable and urged him to grow from the mistake. Despite the setback, Sanders' agents expressed hope that he will be claimed on waivers or signed to a practice squad, keeping his NFL prospects alive. Sanders had a notable college career at South Carolina, Jackson State, and Colorado, known as a hard-hitting safety, but his off-field legal and financial troubles, including a large debt from a lawsuit, add complexity to his situation. His future in the NFL will depend on whether other teams are willing to overlook the incident and give him another chance.