Shilo Sanders reveals why he chose the Buccaneers

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By Darius Hayes | Last updated May 12, 2025 11:30 AM ET

Shilo Sanders is already making a strong first impression with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, earning praise not just for his play, but also for his presence off the field.

The undrafted rookie safety stood out before Saturday’s minicamp even began—greeting each reporter with a handshake ahead of his first media availability.

The Buccaneers may have gotten a steal in Sanders, who brings energy and a football pedigree to the Bucs defense

After signing with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado, Sanders expressed nothing but gratitude for the chance to prove himself.

"They gave me a chance before anyone so I’m forever grateful to the Buccaneers, and I’m just gonna do everything in my power to help this team win," he said. "That’s all I want."

Tampa Bay appears to be a natural fit for Sanders, who spoke highly of the culture.

“Man, look where we’re at. You know what I’m saying?” he said. “Just look at the whole coaching staff. It’s a real supportive coaching staff. Everybody wants to see everybody do good. Even the guys on the team. I’ve just been talking to everybody, and everybody is cool. We all want to see each other win, and it’s just a great environment to thrive in.”

Head coach Todd Bowles has already taken notice of Sanders’ instincts and leadership.

"Like the rest of the safeties, he's very intelligent, he's very loud," Bowles said. "You can hear him today, making calls and everything, so he has a good grasp of things on Day 1… but you have to make plays in pads.”

It will remain to be seems if Sanders makes the final 53 man roster, but he is standing out so far amongst the organization.

This article first appeared on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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