Minutes after Deion Sanders registered his first official win as head coach, the celebration was short-lived after the coach revealed that personal belongings had been stolen from inside the confines of Veterans Memorial Stadium.
“How do you think it feels, coming back, teary-eyed — the guys just presented me with the game ball, one of the best moments that I’ve ever had in my career — and you notice you don’t have a phone to call your momma, your girl, your kids, because it’s been stolen,” Sanders told the media after Jackson State’s 53-0 win over Edward Waters Sunday.
Among the items reported stolen from inside an office were his wallet and cell phone, he said.
Jackson State officials later revealed that all the missing items had not been stolen, but were misplaced for “safe keeping” without Sanders’ knowledge, according to a tweet from Sports Illustrated.
The belongings, reports indicated, were eventually returned to Sanders.
This wild story took another turn of events when Sanders went to Twitter to clarify that indeed he had victimized.
“Naw it was stolen but they got it back,” wrote Sanders. “It was stolen out my personal bag in my office and My assistant caught the gentleman in the process of stealing it but she was alone. No Miscommunication my man at all.”
Whomever putting out the lie that my belongings wasn’t stolen is LYING. My belongings were taken out of a zipped bag in my office and more items were taken as well from my office. We have retrieved them since being reported. My Staff member witnessed the crime. #Truth
— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) February 22, 2021
He then said the theft was witnessed by a JSU staff member.
Lies. It was stolen because a staff member walked in on the theft being committed but she couldn’t fight a dude off. https://t.co/SByAPPPH1H
— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) February 22, 2021
Sunday wasn’t the first time personal property had been taken from Sanders since moving to Jackson.
In January, someone stole a boom box from his truck. The valuable piece of electronic equipment was later returned.
The school later released a statement on Sunday’s incident:
Official Statement Regarding Incident pic.twitter.com/iptg6GTj2T
— Ashley Robinson (@JacksonStateAD) February 22, 2021