Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Shilo Sanders stepped inside Raymond James Stadium for the first time. Despite playing in front of tens of thousands during their college football careers, the first time stepping onto the field as an NFL player is a different experience.
While the stadium sat empty, the former Colorado Buffalo took in the sights and sounds of his new football home.
Bucs S Shilo Sanders Takes Initial Walkthrough of Raymond James Stadium
Sanders is not as respected as his father or as buzzworthy as his brother. Mostly ignored and somewhat forgotten during draft season, the hard-hitting safety disappeared into the background. With all the attention focused on his brother, Sanders put his head down and went to work.
Television cameras didn’t follow him night and day, and social media did not buzz with news about him. Instead, he quietly signed as an undrafted free agent with Tampa Bay. And when he walked into the Bucs’ home stadium for the first time, he was visibly excited. He posted a video on his YouTube channel documenting his first visit to Raymond James Stadium as a Buccaneer.
“Alright, that cannon was very loud. The stadium is nice. This reminds me of South Carolina’s stadium. At Colorado, the wall to the sidelines was right next to out of bounds. Just like five yards in between that. Here it is more spread out. That’s better. So, I don’t get, like, penalties,” he said.
From the hand-rubbing in anticipation to the wide-eyed joy when walking into the tunnel and the pro shop, Sanders relished every single moment. If he can make it past final cut day, he could suit up and walk onto the field, fully padded and ready to make plays.
Right now, based on experience, Sanders looks like he will battle fellow undrafted free agent J.J. Roberts for a spot. Depending on how many safeties Tampa Bay keeps, that could mean the difference between making the roster, sitting on the practice squad, or looking for a new team.
To his credit, Sanders, by first reports, showed up in shape and ready to play. In essence, he wants to make the coaches choose him by having a strong camp. On top of that, Sanders left Tampa to head back to Boulder to receive his master’s degree in organizational leadership from the University of Colorado. Already 25, the next year or two of his career will dictate whether the NFL is truly in his long-term future.