Deion Sanders

For the first time since 2016, Colorado ended the season ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.

The Buffaloes dropped five spots to No. 25 in the final poll, which was released Tuesday after the full results from the postseason bowls. Colorado lost 36-14 to BYU in the Alamo Bowl to finish 9-4 on the year.

While head coach Deion Sanders is losing starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, he can point to the progress Colorado made in 2024 as a reason to be excited for what's ahead. Colorado also has six 4-star commits in its 2025 recruiting class and plenty of reinforcements arriving through the transfer portal.

But the big question is whether Sanders will be around to continue his project.

The Hall of Fame cornerback said in November that he had "a kickstand down" in Boulder, Colorado, to illustrate his commitment to the program.

However, the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Vincent Bonsignore reported on Jan. 11 that "NFL-connected associates of Sanders" indicated to the Las Vegas Raiders his interest in that vacancy. Two days later, ESPN's Todd Archer reported Sanders had spoken with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network on Sunday threw some cold water on the idea of Sanders returning to Dallas, where he played for five seasons. Rapoport reported had yet to schedule an interview with Coach Prime and that he'd be "very surprised" if a formal meeting came together.

This could all be a leverage play for Sanders, whose five-year, $29.5 million contract with Colorado looks like a bargain in the present market. Courting outside interest is a time-tested way for a college football coach to get a raise, and even the legendary Nick Saban wasn't above utilizing the tactic.

Announcing an extension with Sanders would put all of the NFL speculation to bed for now. The Buffs could, however, find themselves in the exact same position next winter if they remain competitive in the Big 12 and a Top 25 team in 2025.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday that the Cowboys and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders aren't expected to hold a formal interview, though team owner Jerry Jones and Coach Prime had talked regarding the Cowboys' head-coaching vacancy.

"Nothing scheduled yet with Coach Prime," Rapoport said. "I'd be surprised, probably very surprised, if something did in fact get scheduled."

On Saturday, NFL reporter Josina Anderson provided one reason why a formal interview may not be the route the Cowboys and Sanders go for the time being, even if there remains mutual interest:

It is very possible that Sanders is simply leveraging Colorado for a significant pay raise, a time-honored tradition among college coaches. And there has been reporting that Colorado has already offered Sanders an extension, though Coach Prime may be seeking an even more lucrative offer and using the reported interest from Dallas to help get it.

As for the Cowboys, the team has already interviewed former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, while they are also expected to interview Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier on Monday.

The team parted ways with Mike McCarthy this offseason after a disappointing 7-10 record. In McCarthy's five seasons the team reached the playoffs three times but won just one postseason game.

In some respects, the Dallas opening is an appealing one for prospective head coaches. The team is one of the NFL's most famous franchises and currently sports a number of talented players, led by Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons.

But the team is also something of a circus under the ownership of Jones, who also insists on a hands-on approach as the team's general manager, which has caused friction with head coaches in the past. And the roster, while top heavy with star power, has serious holes throughout that were exposed in 2024.

Would someone like Sanders want to take that all on? That remains to be seen. For now, however, it seems like a return to Colorado is more likely.

Jerry Jones' unwillingness to break the bank for a head coach could be a major obstacle for the Dallas Cowboys if they want to pursue Deion Sanders.

Appearing on Friday's episode of The Pat McAfee Show (starts at :45 mark), ESPN's Adam Schefter noted that Sanders' $10 million contract buyout with Colorado is not an "insignificant" hurdle for the Cowboys.

After the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy parted ways on Monday when they were unable to agree to terms on a new contract, Sanders spoke with Jerry Jones that same day.

Coach Prime confirmed his conversation with Jones to Schefter, calling it "truly delightful" and "intriguing" to hear from the Cowboys owner.

Paying coaches top-of-the-market money isn't something Jones has really ever shown much of an inclination for. He did attempt to trade for Sean Payton in 2019 before the New Orleans Saints decided against it.

Other than that brief interest in Payton, the coaches Jones has hired since Bill Parcells retired after the 2006 season include Wade Phillips, Jason Garrett and McCarthy. Garrett's post-Cowboys career included two seasons as offensive coordinator for the New York Giants, but he's been out of the NFL since 2022.

Phillips had a terrific run as defensive coordinator for three different teams after being fired by the Cowboys midway through the 2010 season. He won a Super Bowl as defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos in 2015.

Yahoo Sports' Jori Epstein described Jones as being philosophically opposed to "paying for services he's not receiving" and valuing the "market price of players more honestly than the market price of coaches."

Sanders, in addition to his buyout, would likely command a significant contract to become head coach of the Cowboys. His current deal with Colorado pays him $29.5 million over five years, which makes him just the fifth-highest-paid head coach in the Big 12. That total doesn't include the money he is able to make from outside projects, including a weekly talk show and a documentary series.

Jones has the ability to entice Sanders to the NFL because the Cowboys are the highest-profile team in the league, but the total cost to make a deal happen might lead the two sides down separate paths.

Some people within the NFL are reportedly not convinced that the Dallas Cowboys have legitimate interest in making Deion Sanders their next head coach.

Speaking Friday on her Scoop City podcast (beginning at the 11:40 mark), Dianna Russini of The Athletic said there is a "camp" of people in the league who she has spoken to that have said they believe the Cowboys' overtures to Sanders are "not real."

Sanders, who is a former Cowboys superstar cornerback and the current head football coach at the University of Colorado, spoke to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones about the organization's head coaching vacancy on Monday, per Fox Sports (h/t ESPN's Todd Archer).

The 57-year-old Sanders confirmed the talks in a statement provided to ESPN's Adam Schefter, saying:

"To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and it's intriguing. 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."

Russini's sources referred to the discussions between Sanders and Jones as "flirting," and Russini went on to report that the Cowboys have been "scrambling" since Jones' original plan was to retain Mike McCarthy as head coach.

However, McCarthy's contract with the Cowboys expired last week, allowing him to take other head coaching interviews, and Jones announced this week that McCarthy is not returning as Dallas' head coach in 2025.

While Sanders is among the candidates to replace McCarthy, Russini named several other options on the Cowboys' radar, including former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh, Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier and Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.

Moore, who was a Cowboys quarterback from 2015 to 2017 and their OC from 2019 to 2022, may be Jones' preferred candidate, as Russini said "he's got his eyes on" Moore.

Sanders cannot be completely discounted as a possibility in Dallas, though, especially given his history with the franchise.

He spent five of his 14 NFL seasons as a player with the Cowboys, earning four Pro Bowl nods, three First Team All-Pro selections and one Super Bowl title during his tenure.

As great as Sanders was on the field, he has proved himself to be a competent coach as well, going 27-6 in three seasons at FCS Jackson State before taking the job at Colorado.

The Buffaloes went just 1-11 the year before Coach Prime arrived, but they improved to 4-8 in 2023 and then 9-4 in 2024.

Sanders also coached up his son, Shedeur Sanders, into perhaps being the top quarterback in the 2025 NFL draft, and two-way superstar Travis Hunter into winning the Heisman Trophy and being only of the likely top picks in the draft.

Hiring Sanders would be a splashy move that would make headlines for the Cowboys, and it may be the type of outside-the-box move they need to get back to the top.

Dallas has not reached the Super Bowl or even an NFC Championship Game since Sanders played for the team in 1995, and it is coming off a hugely disappointing 7-10 season on the heels of three straight playoff appearances.

There is a great deal of pressure on the Cowboys to get their next head coaching hire right, and while Sanders may have the highest ceiling of any candidate, he would also represent a huge risk since he has no prior NFL coaching experience.

There is no indication that the Dallas Cowboys' coaching search is nearing its completion.

There also isn't an obvious need to drag this out any longer.

Sure, the Cowboys could have interest in certain candidates who are still fulfilling their current duties amid the NFL playoffs. Or perhaps they're eyeing someone who's also connected to one of the other openings around the league.

Dallas doesn't need to cast such a wide net, though. Not when there is a seemingly obvious choice for the job—and from a candidate who reportedly has strong interest in the opening created earlier this month when the club opted not to bring back Mike McCarthy.

Colorado Buffaloes coach and one-time Cowboys cornerback Deion Sanders has had an open dialogue with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. Moreover, WFAA's Ed Werder reported that Sanders "would almost certainly accept" if offered the job and has people around him "encouraging him to pursue it."

This feels like a match made in big-brand football heaven.

The Cowboys might be three decades removed from their last Super Bowl title, and yet they arguably remain the biggest brand in the NFL. The whole "America's Team" thing is more than a catchy nickname, and it might even undersell their full reach around the globe.

As for Sanders himself, he's the biggest name going in college football. He surely has reaped the benefits of some media hype—he's gone 13-12 over his first two seasons in Boulder—but the interest in him and aura around him are fully legitimate.

And his coaching resume might be stronger than it first appears. The Buffaloes went just 1-11 the season prior to his arrival. This past season, they reeled off nine victories and snagged a spot in the Alamo Bowl. Prior to Colorado, he went a blistering 27-5 and steered the Tigers to consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference titles.

He also helped his stars shine undeniably bright. His son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, threw 134 touchdowns against just 27 interceptions over a four-year career that followed the same path from Jackson State to Colorado. He's now the 16th-ranked prospect and second-ranked prospect on the 2025 NFL draft big board of the B/R NFL Scouting Department.

And that big board just so happens to be headed by another Jackson State-to-Colorado star in Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, a two-way star like Coach Prime was in his...well, prime. Hunter's overstuffed stat sheet from this past season included 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns, 35 tackles, 11 pass breakups, four interceptions, a forced fumble and a rushing touchdown.

Sanders' track record may not be the longest, and it's obviously devoid of any NFL experience, but he has still delivered results. And the Cowboys, who last reached the NFC Championship in the 1995 season, should be focused on finding results.

Naysayers will scoff at the notion of Sanders being the coach that finally delivers those results in Dallas. That skepticism shouldn't be the Cowboys' concern. If Jones feels Sanders is the best candidate for the job, then nothing else matters.

Sanders, who played on the Cowboys' last championship team, has already admitted his interest in the vacancy.

"To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and it's intriguing," Sanders told ESPN's Adam Schefter. "I love Jerry and believe in Jerry. After you hang up, and process it, and think about it, it's intriguing."

The Cowboys should be equally intrigued.

You'd need a crystal ball to know whether this would actually work, but there wouldn't be a bigger story in the football world than a "Prime Time" sequel in Dallas.

It remains to be seen whether Deion Sanders will be the head coach of Colorado or the Dallas Cowboys next season, but he reportedly isn't getting all the name, image and likeness money he was hoping for from the Buffaloes.

Jane Slater of NFL Network reported Thursday that sources told her Colorado athletic director Rick George responded with "resistance" when Sanders approached him asking for more money for his staff and NIL endeavors in the new college-football landscape.

Colorado has shown significant improvement in just two seasons with Sanders as head coach.

It was just 4-8 overall and 1-8 in Pac-12 play in 2023 but went 9-4 overall and 7-2 in the Big 12 after switching conferences in 2024. It was in the mix for a Big 12 title for much of the season and qualified for a spot in the Alamo Bowl.

The Buffaloes won at least nine games for just the second time since the 2002 season, but the reality in today's college football world is that momentum will likely only continue if they have enough money to support recruiting and transfer portal endeavors.

Having a Hall of Famer like Sanders surely helps in the recruiting world, but there is also a ceiling on just how far Colorado can climb if it cannot match what other top programs are offering from a financial perspective.

Perhaps this will play a role in Sanders' decision-making process this offseason.

His son, Shedeur Sanders, already won't be with Colorado next season since he is heading to the 2025 NFL draft. And now America's Team and Deion Sanders' former home in the Cowboys has a job opening that may not be available again in the near future.

"Regarding Deion Sanders: I'm being told that he would almost certainly accept if Jerry Jones offers to make him the next #Cowboys head coach, that those around him are encouraging him to pursue it and that Jones is enamored with the idea," NFL insider Ed Werder reported Thursday.

Sanders himself told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the opportunity with the Cowboys, where he played five seasons from 1995 to 1999, is "intriguing."

For all the growth it has shown in the last two years, Colorado would be facing an uncertain future if Sanders did leave. The timing is also less than ideal because early signing day has already passed and its own players would then be eligible to enter the transfer portal because of a coaching change.

The Buffaloes would likely have to wait until the spring transfer portal opened to restock some of their roster, and doing so without Sanders won't be easy. That is especially true if they are hesitant to use more funds on NIL.

There is reportedly momentum building toward Deion Sanders becoming the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

NFL insider Ed Werder reported Thursday that he was told Sanders "would almost certainly accept" the job if Cowboys owner Jerry Jones offered it. Werder noted people around the Hall of Famer are "encouraging him to pursue it."

What's more, Jones is also apparently "enamored with the idea."

This comes after Sanders previously spoke about the possibility and said, "To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and it's intriguing," per ESPN's Adam Schefter. "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."

Even in expressing his love for his current position, that wasn't exactly a no.

The timing of Sanders leaving Colorado after two seasons would make some sense, as his son, Shedeur, is set to enter the NFL in the upcoming draft. What's more, Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter is also expected to be one of the first prospects taken come draft day.

It may put an end to the momentum he built in just two seasons with the Buffaloes, but head coach of the Cowboys is one of the most notable jobs in the sport, and it just so happens to be available in the same offseason his son is leaving the school.

Sanders also has an obvious connection to Dallas, as he played for the team for five seasons from 1995 to 1999. He helped the Cowboys win a Lombardi Trophy and was an All-Pro in four of those seasons.

If Sanders took the job, it would be easy to speculate that he would want the Cowboys to trade up in the draft and put themselves in position to select Shedeur. Outside of the clear personal connection, it would also mean starting with a new head coach and quarterback on the same timeline as the franchise looks to put the disappointing 2024 campaign in the rearview mirror.

However, Schefter appeared on Thursday's episode of Get Up (5:30 mark) and reported Sanders "would go to Dallas and be thrilled to coach Dak Prescott."

The Cowboys went 12-5 in each of the last three seasons Prescott remained healthy from 2021 to 2023, so the idea that a coaching prospect would be happy to work with the veteran quarterback isn't that surprising even if the franchise is still waiting on postseason success with No. 4 under center.

Perhaps Sanders would be the one to bring it as the next head coach.