Jackson State Tigers head coach Deion Sanders has banned his players from leaving the team hotel after rapper Takeoff was shot and killed in Houston early Tuesday morning.
“Takeoff was murdered in a dice game in Houston — where we’re going,” Sanders told his team on Tuesday in comments shared by TMZ Sports and Barry Werner of Touchdown Wire/USA Today. “So, that eliminates all y’all leaving that hotel, ’cause it ain’t happening until I give you further notice.”
8-0 Jackson State plays at the 4-4 Texas Southern Tigers in Houston on Saturday.
“You cannot kick it with the same dudes you kicked it with,” Sanders continued while addressing his players. “You cannot associate in the same realms that you associated with. You gon’ have to change if you expect change. I’m sad because it always seems like it’s us, but we wanna say we matter, we wanna say we keep it 100, but it’s always us.”
“I’m just sick and tired of the consistency of people, that are influential to you, are leaving us consistently — that’s our rappers,” Sanders added. “Rest in peace, Takeoff.”
Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, has been linked by some with the Auburn Tigers after that program dismissed head coach Bryan Harsin on Monday. Per Langston Newsome of the Mississippi Clarion Ledger, Sanders said on Tuesday he’d “heard from the Tigers” but “the Jackson State Tigers” and not Auburn.
“My name has been attached to many things in life,” Sanders explained. “Also, a whole lot of headlines. This ain’t new to me. I’m good. I just got to make sure our coaches stay locked in and focus as well as the kids. But with attention and exposure, I’m not new to this.”
