Is Deion Sanders going to coach Dallas Cowboys? A closer look at Coach Prime's comments 

Joe Cox
Will Deion Sanders move on from Colorado to the Dallas Cowboys and Jerry Jones? (Photo Credits: IMAGN)
Will Deion Sanders [left] move on from Colorado to the Dallas Cowboys and Jerry Jones? [right] (Photo Credits: IMAGN)

There may not be a figure in football coaching who is more of a lightning rod than Deion Sanders. Positive energy, explosive lighting, massive danger and much more are all tied up in the Colorado Buffaloes head coach. But predicting Coach Prime's next move has never been easy. That said, the recent opening of the Dallas Cowboys' job has made for an intriguing new match possibility.

"Coach Prime" coached at the high school level throughout the 2010s, but brought HBCU Jackson State back to prominence in three seasons with the school from 2020 to 2022. Sanders then moved on to FBS Colorado, watching the school's win total jump from one in the year before he was hired to four and nine wins respectively, over the next two years. But the NFL and the Cowboys?

Is Deion Sanders going to the Dallas Cowboys?

Could potentially coaching one or both of his sons drive Coach Prime to the pros? (Photo Credit: IMAGN)
Could potentially coaching one or both of his sons drive Coach Prime to the pros? (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

Judging from his career arc and public comments, the prediction here is that no, he will not head to the NFL and the Dallas Cowboys at this time.

Colorado is on the rise under Sanders – coming perhaps a single win away from genuine College Football Playoff consideration in 2024. That status and the new 12-team College Football Playoff seem likely to keep Sanders around.

At the same time, rising above nine wins at Colorado will be a new challenge. It's also a challenge that Sanders will face without his sons Shedeur and Shilo playing for him, as both are bound for the 2025 NFL draft.

But what has Coach Prime had to say – and what does it all mean?

What Coach Prime has said

As recently as November, Sanders explicitly denied having any sort of move on his mind. As Colorado finished up an outstanding regular season, Sanders seemed to dispel any speculation of a move.

"I'm happy where I am, man," Sanders said via ESPN.com. "I've got a kickstand down. You know what a kickstand is? ... That means I'm resting. I'm good, I'm happy, I'm excited. I'm enthusiastic about where I am. I love it here, truly do."

Again, considering that Sanders's Colorado progress has been so speedy and remarkable, he does appear to have a future College Football Playoff berth within his grasp – particularly if the CFP field expands to 16 teams, which seems more or less inevitable. Still, cracks in the "staying around" theory did emerge.

In January, Sanders made a TV appearance on ABC's "Good Morning America" and again swatted down rumors of a potential departure, but this time with a pivotal caveat. Sanders admitted that he could be tempted by the NFL if it allowed him to coach his sons again, as he has at Colorado.

There's the rub for departure. Winning has seemed to be plenty of fun for Deion Sanders at Boulder, but it's come with his sons on board. With them departing, could the time be right for a move?

Furthermore, Sanders recently admitted to being contacted by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to discuss Dallas's vacant coaching job. He did appear to toe the company line at least by inference in his comments.

“I love Jerry and believe in Jerry. After you hang up, and process it, and think about it, it’s intriguing. But I love Boulder and everything there is about our team, the coaches, our student body, and the community," Sanders said via SI.com.

Again, there's a denial there, but an increasingly lukewarm denial. Admitting that the Dallas Cowboys job is "intriguing" is close to admitting genuine interest. Recent reports are that Colorado's brass has been none-too-pleased with the public flirtation and that any attempts by Sanders to use the Cowboys' interest for a raise haven't been well received.

Coach Prime's ultimate destination

At the end of the day, Deion Sanders' growing familiarity with college football and his personnel make the decision to stay an easy one. Sanders is an established star of college football and is pulling his competitive team closer to ultimate success in a competitive conference.

Jumping ship for an NFL job that has chewed coaches up and spit them out over the last couple of decades would be a needlessly risky move. Once Sanders has a CFP or two under his belt, would an NFL jump be shocking? No. And while there's a chance it will happen now, his comments and the situation ultimately lead to a conclusion that it's unlikely.

What do you think of Deion Sanders' job situation? Will he stay in Colorado or take the job in Dallas? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Edited by Veer Badani
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