Deion Sanders, head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, shared on social media before their game against the Arizona Wildcats this Friday.

Sanders shared a photo of himself embracing Buffaloes kicker Alejandro Mata at Folsom Field. Mata knelt with a Mexican flag on his back, warmly embraced by Sanders.

“I love my Mata!” Sanders posted while tagging Mata

Mata has been playing under Sanders for three years, starting at Jackson State and later moving to Colorado when Sanders joined the team.

Mata spent four years at Buford High School before choosing Jackson State. He earned the starting kicker role in his junior year and played a key part in securing two state championships during his time there.

He started at Jackson State as a freshman, finishing the season with an impressive 91.7% field goal accuracy.

He described Sanders as a “father figure,” explaining that’s why he decided to join him at Colorado.

“I like to think of him as a dad,” Mata shared. “He feels like a father figure to me. He’s a great guy, and I admire him. Even my dad respects him.”

Mata was born in Honduras but moved to Mexico at age two. After living there for eight years, he and his family relocated to Georgia, where his football journey began.

“He found moving from Mexico to Georgia challenging due to the language barrier.”

“When I first started school, I was the only Mexican kid there. It was tough at the beginning, honestly. I knew some English basics, but having a real conversation was a struggle. Plus, my accent didn’t make things any easier.”

Mata overcame challenges at Buford and earned a scholarship to play for Deion Sanders, a renowned figure in college football.