Two Atheist Groups Are Angry Coach Deion Sanders Prays With His Players

Coach Deion Sanders has gotten his new employer involved in a religious freedom dispute less than three months after joining the University of Colorado football program. Two atheist organizations have gotten in touch with the school concerning Sanders’ religious practices since January. One claimed that by praying with athletes, he and some of his employees were breaking the law, while the other forewarned the school that doing so might violate Sanders’ religious freedom.

The incident started in January when Sanders’ practice of frequently bringing up Christianity during school events was brought to the University of Colorado’s attention by the Freedom from Religion Foundation. The group claimed that it had received calls from several people in Colorado who were aware of — and worried about — the pressure put on athletes to pray at team meetings.

“The Supreme Court has regularly struck down school-sponsored proselytizing in public schools,” said the foundation’s staff attorney, Christopher Line, in the letter.