NFL Analyst calls Deion Sanders "most influential athlete" in history barring Muhammad Ali

Jason Whitlock shared his thoughts on whether Deion Sanders would take the coaching position for the Dallas Cowboys after two seasons with the Colorado Buffaloes.

On Wednesday's episode of "Fearless with Jason Whitlock," the sports commentator compared the NFL to other shows like "American Idol" and said that the NFL would want a "character" like Sanders to coach the team for TV ratings.

"I think they would, and so everybody sitting around laughing like Jerry wouldn't do this. Deion doesn't have any experience. Deion wouldn't do this. He wouldn't want that hassle. You don't understand what you are watching. It's just a TV show, and these are just characters that move around the chess board, and Deion figured this out a long time ago," Whitlock said (18:03 onwards).

He continued calling "Coach Prime" a "character" and said he moved from team to team to chase championship rings during his NFL career. The No. 23 Colorado Buffaloes (9-4, 7-2 Big 12) coach played for five NFL teams, including the Cowboys.

"Part of my unpacking and thinking about what's going on with Deion Sanders and what is the significance of Deion Sanders and why, in my opinion, there is a chance he could end up being the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, it would fit his brand. It would be the perfect ending to his television career. Deion Sanders might be other than Muhammad Ali, the most influential and toxic athlete in the history of American sports," Whitlock said (18:54 mark onwards).

Jason Whitlock compares Deion Sanders & LeBron James' legacy

Whitlock continued his breakdown of the Buffaloes coach by disparaging his ideology and legacy. He shared that Ali influenced others with his charisma and religious and political beliefs. Whitlock feels that the NFL legend is charismatic like Ali but "isn't attached to anything real."

"He's making up his form of Christianity on his own, and he's making a form of Christianity that fits his radical materialism and his inability to satiate his own ego," Whitlock said (20:28 mark onwards).

Whitlock also believes NBA superstar LeBron James took inspiration from "Coach Prime" by marketing himself as one of the greatest in his sport rather than working for it.

"Deion and the hype machine and the branding and the marketing put him in the conversation for the greatest defensive player of all time, and people that actually follow the game was like, that's a joke. He was a great cover corner but great defensive player? Stop it," Whitlock said (21:44 mark onwards).

"There's an athlete (James) right now in the National Basketball Association in his 20th season or 21st season, I can't remember. That has branded and hyped his way into the G.O.A.T conversation."

The sports commentator continued to downplay Sanders' NFL career and reiterated that the organization would like to have him coach Dallas for the TV ratings.

The Colorado coach has spoken with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones but seems committed to staying in College Football.