Deion Sanders weighs in on BAFTA show racial slur controversy

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Deion Sanders weighs in on BAFTA show racial slur controversy

Deion Sanders weighs in on BAFTA show racial slur controversy

Brent Schrotenboer, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Thu, Feb 26, 2026 ·

3 min read

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Colorado football coach Deion Sanders expressed dismay about the recent controversy at the BAFTA Film Awards in which a man with Tourette's syndrome yelled out a racial slur at two Black actors during a telecast on the BBC.

Sanders was asked about it on his weekly talk show on Tubi with co-host Rocsi Diaz in the episode that aired Feb. 26. Diaz questioned why the slur wasn't edited out by the BBC and discussed the subject with Sanders, who said he had a previous experience with someone with Tourette's. Symptoms of it can include involuntary outbursts with profane language known as "tics."

Sanders, who is Black, called for prayers for people who have such tics but questioned the timing of the slur.

"How can that word come out at that time?" Sanders asked on the show, entitled "We Got Time Today." He said that slur must be "already in you" and learned if it's in a person's vocabulary.

Sanders then added another observation.

"The part two of this is, it conveniently came out when two African-Americans were at the podium," Sanders said.

Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes walks the sideline during the first quarter against the Wyoming Cowboys at Folsom Field on Sept. 20, 2025 in Boulder, Colo.
(Andrew Wevers, Getty Images)

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders reacts after a play during the third quarter against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium in Houston on Sept. 12, 2025.
(Troy Taormina, Imagn Images)

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Delaware Fightin Blue Hens on Sept. 6, 2025 at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo.
(Ron Chenoy, Imagn Images)

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders congratulates Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Kaidon Salter following a touchdown pass in the first quarter against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo. on Aug. 29, 2025.
(Ron Chenoy, Imagn Images)

2025: Colorado head coach Deion Sanders and head coach Todd Bowles look on during the 2025 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp at AdventHealth Training Center on July 23, 2025 in Tampa, Florida.
(Julio Aguilar, Getty Images)

2025: Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star on July 9, 2025 in Frisco, Texas.
(Raymond Carlin III, Imagn Images)

2025: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes looks on as a field goal drill is attempted in the Black and Gold Spring Game at Folsom Field on April 19, 2025 in Boulder, Colorado.
(Dustin Bradford, Getty Images for ONIT)

2025: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes walks on the field during the Black and Gold Spring Game at Folsom Field on April 19, 2025 in Boulder, Colorado.
(Dustin Bradford, Getty Images for ONIT)

2024: Deion Sanders embraces Travis Hunter after the wide receiver/cornerback won the 2024 Heisman Trophy.
(Todd Van Emst, Heisman Trust via Imagn Images)

2024: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes watches from the sidelines during the second half of the NCAAF game against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium on October 19, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona.
(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)

2024: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes watches as his team plays their spring game at Folsom Field on April 27, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado.
(Matthew Stockman, Getty Images)

2024: Shilo Sanders (21), Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders, quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) and social media producer Deion Sanders Jr. following a win against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field.
(Ron Chenoy, Imagn Images)

2023: Colorado football coach Deion Sanders and celebrity guest picker Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson exchange pleasantries on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the Buffaloes game against Colorado State at Folsom Field on Boulder, Colorado.
(Andrew Wevers, USA TODAY Sports)

2023: Colorado coach Deion Sanders in attendance before the national championship game.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports)

2022: Deion Sanders is introduced as the head coach of the University of Colorado.
(Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports)

2022: Deion Sanders during the Celebration Bowl. Sanders went 27-6 in three seasons leading Jackson State.
(Dale Zanine, USA TODAY Sports)

2021: Deion Sanders coaches during the Celebration Bowl. Sanders required a scooter following blood clot issues that ultimately led to the amputation of some toes.
(Mickey Welsh, USA TODAY NETWORK)

2017: Deion Sanders, working for NFL Network, interviews New England Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount during Super Bowl LI Opening Night at Minute Maid Park.
(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)

Melissa Stark (left), Deion Sanders (center) and Kurt Warner (right) smile during an NFL Network broadcast at the Super Bowl XLIX NFL Experience at the Phoenix Convention Center on Jan. 26, 2015.
(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)

Rich Eisen (left), Deion Sanders (center) and Michael Irvin on the NFL Network set before the "Thursday Night Football" game between the Houston Texans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on Dec. 5, 2013.
(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)

2013: Deion Sanders as "Leon Sandcastle" of Primetime University arrives on the red carpet prior to the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
(Al Bello, Getty Images)

NFL network broadcaster Deion Sanders interviews San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree during media day in preparation for Super Bowl XLVII against the Baltimore Ravens at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Jan. 29, 2013.
(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)

2011: Former Atlanta Falcons cornerback Deion Sanders poses with his bust at the Enshrinement Ceremony for the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 6, 2011 in Canton, Ohio.
(Jason Miller, Getty Images)

Deion Sanders makes his return to football with the Baltimore Ravens after a three-year retirement in the 2004 season opener iat Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sept. 12, 2004. The Browns beat the Ravens, 20-3, in the game.
(Matthew Emmons, US PRESSWIRE)

2003: Deion Sanders and family celebrate Kids Day at the New York Knicks vs. New Orleans Hornets NBA game at Madison Square Garden in New York, on Nov. 29, 2003.

(Ray Amati, Getty Images)

2000: Washington's Deion Sanders jukes the Detroit Lions' Brock Olivo at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, on Sept. 10, 2000.

(JEFF KOWALSKY, AFP via Getty Images)

1999: Dallas Cowboys defensive back Deion Sanders acknowleges the cheering crowd after intercepting his first pass of the game versus the Miami Dolphins at Texas Stadium, November 25,1999 in Irving, Texas.
(Paul Buck, AFP via Getty Images)

The Dallas Cowboys' Deion Sanders outdistances Indianapolis Colts defensive back Tito Wooten to score a touchdown at the RCA Dome on Oct. 31, 1999.
(JOHN RUTHROFF, AFP via Getty Images)

1997: Deion Sanders at the plate for the Cincinnati Reds during the 1997 season. The Reds were among four different MLB teams that Sanders played for during a nine-season career.

(Tony Tomsic, USA TODAY Sports)

On Oct. 11, 1992, Deion Sanders played in a game against the Miami Dolphins, then flew to Pittsburgh for the Atlanta Braves' NLCS game against the Pirates (he did not appear in the game).
(H. DARR BEISER, USA TODAY)

Atlanta Falcons defensive back Deion Sanders (21) on a kick return against the Green Bay Packers at Fulton County Stadium on Dec. 1, 1991.
(Manny Rubio, US PRESSWIRE)

The Atlanta Braves' Deion Sanders bats against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on July 7, 1991.
(Stephen Dunn, Getty Images)

The Atlanta Falcons' Deion Sanders in action against the Dallas Cowboys at Fulton County Stadium on Sept. 17, 1989.
(US PRESSWIRE)

Deion Sanders was a two-time All-American, the 1988 Jim Thorpe Award winner and a 2011 College Football Hall of Fame inductee.
(Allen Steele, Getty Images)

Deion Sanders discussed timing of the slur

Famed Black actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on the stage at the awards show Feb. 22 when Tourette's advocate John Davidson yelled out the slur. Davidson was there as the subject of the BAFTA-nominated biopic "I Swear" and was diagnosed with Tourette's at age 25. Davidson since said in an interview with Variety that he felt "shame" about what happened.

"The most offensive word that I ticked at the ceremony, for example, is a word I would never use and would completely condemn if I did not have Tourette's," Davidson said in the interview.

On the Tubi show, Diaz also questioned the timing.

"But do you think it would be triggered if he saw two white people at the podium, though?" she asked.

Sanders responded that what made the situation especially concerning was that it was "with two brothers at the podium and it's Black History Month."

Davidson had other outbursts at the BAFTA show

Diaz asked Sanders what he would do if he were on stage at the moment when Davidson yelled the slur.

"I would have made a joke out of it and said, "God bless you' or something and said, 'God is good,'" Sanders replied. "Black History Month and that happens to come out? God bless you. sir."

It was not the only time Davidson made an outburst that night. Davidson noted this in his interview with Variety.

"I would appreciate reports of the event explaining that I ticked perhaps 10 different offensive words on the night of the awards," he said in Variety . "The (racial slur) was one of these, and I completely understand its significance in history and in the modern world, but most articles are giving the impression I shouted one single slur on Sunday."

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer . Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Colorado coach Deion Sanders questions BAFTA show racial slur timing

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Deion Sanders weighs in on BAFTA show racial slur controversy

See Deion Sanders' 'Prime Time' career in football, baseball and coaching

See Deion Sanders' 'Prime Time' career in football, baseball and coaching

See Deion Sanders' 'Prime Time' career in football, baseball and coaching

See Deion Sanders' 'Prime Time' career in football, baseball and coaching

See Deion Sanders' 'Prime Time' career in football, baseball and coaching

See Deion Sanders' 'Prime Time' career in football, baseball and coaching

See Deion Sanders' 'Prime Time' career in football, baseball and coaching

See Deion Sanders' 'Prime Time' career in football, baseball and coaching

See Deion Sanders' 'Prime Time' career in football, baseball and coaching

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See Deion Sanders' 'Prime Time' career in football, baseball and coaching

See Deion Sanders' 'Prime Time' career in football, baseball and coaching

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See Deion Sanders' 'Prime Time' career in football, baseball and coaching

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Deion Sanders through the years

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See Deion Sanders' 'Prime Time' career in football, baseball and coaching

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Deion Sanders discussed timing of the slur

Davidson had other outbursts at the BAFTA show