Todd Bowles' frustration with Jamel Dean paves way for stunning return by Shilo Sanders
Former Buccaneers safety joked he's still available after Bowles revisited a defensive assignment
Shilo Sanders has spent months sounding increasingly comfortable with the idea that his NFL career is over. That didn't stop him from taking a playful shot at getting back into Todd Bowles ’ defense.
The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety surfaced in the comments after Bowles told a story about cornerback Jamel Dean repeatedly struggling with a corner blitz assignment.
Bowles recalled reaching the point where he effectively stopped trusting Dean with the call.
“Dean messed up the corner blitz so much that I literally told him in practice, ‘Whenever I call this to the boundary, you go to the field from the other corner over the side. I said, You will never, ever,’” Bowles said.
“And then, his last year here, he ended up getting a sack, and I was laughing so hard. It was like the biggest moment of his life. … It took me six years to get him to get that right.”
Sanders couldn't resist: “I’ll blitz coach 😁,” he wrote. The comment reads more like a joke than an actual campaign for a roster spot, but it stood out because Sanders has recently spoken about football in much more final terms.
NFL opportunity ended on a costly mistake
Sanders joined Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent in 2025 after finishing his college career at Colorado.
His chances of making the roster were always going to depend heavily on preseason performance and special teams value, but Bowles saw traits he liked during camp.
The coach described Sanders as having a “hunger” and called him “very aggressive.”
That opportunity disappeared during Tampa Bay’s third preseason game.
Sanders became involved in a confrontation with tight end Zach Davidson and threw a punch, resulting in an ejection. Bowles was blunt afterward.
“You can’t throw punches in this league... that’s inexcusable,” he said. “They’re going to get you every time. You’ve got to grow from that.”
The Buccaneers later released Sanders , and he hasn't found another NFL home since. His tone this year suggested he had stopped expecting one.
“I don’t think there’s any light in my tunnel,” Sanders said during a livestream.
He also characterized the end of his football career as a “blessing” while discussing the turbulent career path of former NFL star Antonio Brown .
“He be tweaking,” Sanders said.
Life after football already taking shape
Sanders has increasingly shifted his attention toward entertainment instead of a comeback.
He released a 15-track hip-hop album titled Hate 2 Love on Jan. 1 and has said he no longer trains with an NFL return as his primary goal.
“I’ve always done that my whole life playing football with music, acting, and modeling,” Sanders said. “I truly believe God has a big plan for me.”
He is also currently dealing with a bankruptcy case connected to an $11.89 million civil judgment involving former school security guard John Darjean .
Sanders has disputed the underlying account of the confrontation, while the current proceedings center on whether the debt can be discharged.
Against that backdrop, one Instagram comment is hardly evidence of a serious comeback attempt.
Still, Sanders ’ response to Bowles offered a revealing glimpse of where he stands.
He may believe the NFL chapter is finished, but apparently he is not completely opposed to answering the call if Tampa Bay ever needs an extra blitzer.
