“I couldn’t take it as a man”: $45M worth Deion Sanders reveals why he doesn’t want to coach in the NFL

Many people wanted Deion Sanders to coach in the NFL. Coach Prime is not among those people. In an episode of “We Got Time Today,” the Colorado Buffaloes coach shared why he will return to Boulder in 2025.

Sanders discussed his thoughts on coaching an NFL team with host Rocsi Diaz and former Dallas Cowboys teammate turned ESPN analyst, Troy Aikman. There, Sanders talked about the differences between when he was a player and the current state of the game.

"I know it’s cute but I couldn’t coach pro ball. The way they practice, the way they go about it, I couldn’t take it as a man and as a football enthusiast. I care about the game. The game is still providing for Troy and I. There’s no way I could allow that to happen on my watch. That would be tough," Deion Sanders said.

Deion Sanders talked about the level of competition for those Cowboy teams earlier in the interview. He remembers how he would try to stop Michael Irvin from making a catch at all costs and how Aikman didn’t like throwing incompletions.

Perhaps the biggest difference in practice between today and the 1990s is the most recent CBA limitations on the amount of full-contact practices. While the measure is aimed at reducing the risk of injury, it also lessens the opportunities for players to compete in practice.

Another change in the CBA is that the training camp was pushed back, giving players more time to recover but also limiting the time staff have to coach their team.

Coach Prime will enter his third year at Colorado after leading the Buffaloes to an 8-4 record and an Alamo Bowl berth in 2024. He’s also overseen the college careers of two of the top prospects in this year’s NFL draft in quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman-winning wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter.

Deion Sanders makes changes to his staff

After leading the Buffaloes to a nine-win season, Coach Prime will now look to improve even more in his third season in Boulder. One of the main issues the team has had is the offensive line, which has struggled for the last two years.

After offensive line coach Phil Loadholt left for Mississippi State, Sanders has decided to make a move, promoting offensive quality control analyst Gunnar White to the position, as revealed by "Thee Pregame Network."

White had coached at Nevada, Belhaven University and Jackson State before landing in Boulder. He will look to improve a unit that allowed 43 sacks in 2024. Four offensive linemen transferred to Colorado for 2025, so White will have more players to work with.