Shedeur Sanders Follows Deion Sanders' Footsteps With Panini NFL Trading Card Release

That self-assurance helped carry him through Jackson State, then Colorado, and eventually to the NFL—though the road hasn’t always been smooth.

Since his unexpected slide in the 2025 NFL Draft, Shedeur has become a lightning rod in football discourse. Some critics pointed to his bold personality and brand-first mindset, symbolized by his 2Legendary brand and now-signature celebration, “The Shedeur.”

Others questioned his NFL Combine attire and raised concerns from late reports about how he came across in pre-draft interviews.

But to understand Shedeur, you have to understand the world he came from and the example he grew up following.

In a resurfaced throwback video released by Panini America, a young Shedeur Sanders appears on his father’s lap after Deion signs baseball cards at home.

“Let me see your autograph, man,” Deion says after calling him over to sit on his lap. “It’s horrible,” Shedeur sheepishly admits before scribbling an “S” with a dollar sign. “Don’t sign mine,” Deion interrupts his son. “Let me see yours.” Without hesitation, Shedeur replies, “That is mine.”

It’s a candid, telling moment—an early glimpse into a life raised on legacy.

Years later, that moment resurfaced at the perfect time. After signing an exclusive deal with Panini America in April, Shedeur was shown the old video during an interview. He couldn’t help but grin.

“Yeah, he started us from a young age, man,” he said. “What could you expect? He’s greatness. He expects greatness for us. So, that’s what it is.”

This weekend, that legacy took another step forward.

At the NFLPA Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles, Shedeur suited up in his new Cleveland Browns uniform for the first time. There, he took part in a professional photo shoot that would become his debut NFL trading card—produced, printed, and handed to him within minutes by Panini’s on-site team. The turnaround was so fast that it caught him off guard.

“How did y’all already do this?” he asked, astonished, as he held the card bearing his first image in the NFL just minutes after the shoot.

But what may have seemed like just a cool rookie moment was more than that. For Shedeur Sanders, this wasn’t just another brand deal. It was a reminder of where he came from and the expectations he still carries as the legacy of an NFL legend.

Now, like his father before him, Shedeur’s signature is etched into the trading card world. And while the ink is dry on his first rookie card, his NFL story is still being written—one that Cleveland fans hope becomes just as legendary as his fathers.