Deion Sanders

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders' previous declaration that he would only coach in the NFL if he could coach his son, Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders, reportedly may not factor into his chances of becoming the Dallas Cowboys' next head coach.

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

After the Cowboys parted ways with head coach Mike McCarthy earlier this week following the official expiration of his contract, attention immediately turned to Sanders. The Hall of Famer spent five years of his playing career in Dallas and helped the team win its last Super Bowl title in 1995.

Sanders told Schefter that he already heard from Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, but he's still committed to his position with the Buffaloes:

“To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and it’s intriguing,” Deion Sanders told ESPN on Monday night. “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,… pic.twitter.com/OMossS9iOx

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 14, 2025

Sanders has coached Shedeur both in high school and all four years of his college career. The two of them were together at Jackson State before heading to Colorado together in 2023. Shedeur Sanders is ranked as the No. 2 quarterback in the 2025 NFL draft class in the B/R NFL Scouting Department's latest big board and is projected to be selected by the Tennessee Titans with the No. 1 overall pick in the most recent mock draft.

The Cowboys own the No. 12 pick in this year's draft, and Schefter shot down the possibility of them trading Prescott to move up to No. 1 to select Sanders. However, he maintained that Coach Prime would be open to coaching in Dallas with or without his son.

"Deion himself has said that the only draw to the NFL would be that if he got to go coach Shedeur, but I think nobody said to him, 'Well, what about the idea of Jerry Jones?' Because I think he views the relationship he has with Jerry Jones and who Jerry Jones is as something that would be attractive enough to get him to leave Colorado, potentially, and not have to coach his son. ... There are exceptions," Schefter said.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders already publicly commented on the notion he could become the next coach of the Dallas Cowboys, and the discussions are reportedly not over.

ESPN reported Wednesday that the conversations between Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Sanders regarding the vacancy after the team parted ways with Mike McCarthy "are expected to continue" even after they spoke Monday night.

Sanders opened up about the idea to ESPN's Adam Schefter and said, "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."

It should be noted Sanders didn't specifically say no to the idea of coaching the Cowboys even while discussing how much he loves his current position with the Big 12 program.

A jump to the NFL would be notable timing for the Hall of Famer, as his son, Shedeur Sanders, and Colorado's Heisman winner, Travis Hunter, are set to make the same jump in the upcoming draft. The Buffaloes may struggle in 2025 without their two star players, and Sanders would be leaving the college game at the same time as his son.

Still, he would also be departing Colorado at a time when it has plenty of momentum.

The team went 4-8 in his first season as head coach in 2023 but improved to 9-4 in 2024. It battled for a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game before falling just short and seems to be on an impressive trajectory in a small amount of time with Sanders as head coach.

Yet opportunities to coach arguably the NFL's most prominent team don't come around every day.

Sanders is also quite familiar with the organization and Jones seeing how he played in Dallas for five seasons from 1995 to 1999. He was a Pro Bowler in each of those five campaigns and was named to the first-team All-Pro team three times.

The Cowboys also won the Super Bowl in his first season with the team.

Perhaps they will be chasing another one with Sanders depending on how the coaching search unfolds.

The Dallas Cowboys head coaching opening is sure to be one of the most intriguing storylines of the offseason after the team parted ways with Mike McCarthy earlier this week, and a favorite has already emerged for the position.

DraftKings Sportsbook announced that Colorado head coach and former Cowboys star Deion Sanders is a +100 betting favorite to be the next head coach of the Cowboys.

🚨 NEW MARKET ALERT 🚨

Deion Sanders is the favorite to be the next head coach of the Cowboys 👀 pic.twitter.com/daNeyn6LGR

— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) January 14, 2025

Sanders, who spent five years of his Hall of Fame playing career in Dallas, told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday that he was contacted by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. While he's intrigued by the position, he said he's still committed to Colorado.

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

In his second year with the Buffaloes, Sanders spearheaded a significant turnaround from their 4-8 finish to the 2023 season by leading them to a 9-4 record. Colorado played in a bowl game for the first time since 2020, losing to BYU in the Alamo Bowl. Sanders was also responsible for the development of two of the top prospects in the 2025 NFL draft: his son and quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way phenom Travis Hunter, who won the 2024 Heisman Trophy.

While Sanders appears to be a solid fit for Dallas thanks to his history with the franchise, it would still be a bit of a surprise if the team took such a big swing on someone with just five years of coaching experience at the college level.

If Sanders doesn't land with the Cowboys, DraftKings Sportsbook expects them to pursue an offensive-minded head coach. NFL offensive coordinators Kellen Moore, Kliff Kingsbury, Joe Brady and Ben Johnson have the next-best odds to land in Dallas, respectively. Though a longshot, UNC head coach Bill Belichick rounded out the top six with +650 odds to make the jump back to the NFL to accept the Cowboys' opening.

If the Dallas Cowboys want to hire Deion Sanders as their next head coach, it could cost them a pretty penny.

Per NFL Network's Jane Slater, Sanders has a $10 million buyout at Colorado, with that number decreasing after each year of his contract.

Slater also noted that Sanders "potentially" has an extension with Colorado on the table and could use the Cowboys' interest in him as leverage to increase the Buffaloes' offer to him.

"There's been some talk that there has potentially been an extension on the table in front of the regents," Slater said. "So is Deion using this leverage to get paid a little bit more and stay in Colorado? Is this interest from Jerry (Jones) real? I think the interest from Jerry is absolutely real. I guess the question is does Deion want to come here?

A lot to unpack here. Been on the phone non stop here is what I’ve gathered from Deion to Witt to Kellen. Jerry is currently on a solo mission. No official interviews or calls even placed to some. Here is what I have gathered for you. #CowboysHCSearch pic.twitter.com/9OzVVwy7Cz

— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) January 15, 2025

On Monday after Dallas and former head coach Mike McCarthy parted ways, Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz reported that Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones had spoken to Sanders and conversations are "expected to continue regarding the possibility of him becoming the next head coach in Dallas."

Slater reported that Jones has handled tracking down coaching candidates on his own, and Sanders was one of the first calls.

"It sounds like Jerry's been on a bit of a solo mission," Slater said. "He's picking up the phone, he's making calls. It's my understanding he has not yet called Kellen Moore, he has not yet called Kliff Kingsbury, he has not yet called (Steve) Sarkisian down at the University of Texas."

If Jones is serious about landing Sanders, he likely won't let a $10 million buyout stand in his way, but ultimately it will come down to whether Sanders is willing to leave Colorado.

He's indicated in the past that it would take a lot to pull him away from the Buffaloes, but if there's an NFL team that can do it, it's probably the Cowboys.

An NFL general manager once told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Deion Sanders would be the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

Schefter retold the story during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show (2:35 mark).

"I spoke to Prime last night and I put out exactly what he said to me..

The way that I took it was that he wasn't interested in the NFL but he was intrigued to speak to Jerry Jones..

Deion Sanders told me that he doesn't know what happens next" ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/QevKO7TIWa

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 14, 2025

"October 2023, a GM in the league called me," Schefter began. "He said: 'Get our your pen and paper and write this down. Deion Sanders is going to be the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.'"

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Sanders has "some interest" in the HC gig and that the Cowboys "have at least some interest, as well."

Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz reported that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spoke to Sanders about the job. He also said talks are "expected to continue regarding the possibility of him becoming the next head coach in Dallas." A formal interview hasn't happened, but Schultz said "there is mutual interest."

Schefter relayed remarks from Sanders on the matter. In essence, Sanders confirmed speaking with Jones but reiterated his love for Colorado.

“To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and it’s intriguing,” Deion Sanders told ESPN on Monday night. “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,… pic.twitter.com/OMossS9iOx

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 14, 2025

The Cowboys are looking for a new head coach after letting Mike McCarthy's five-year contract expire. Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who starred for Dallas from 1995-1999, is a potentially hot NFL coaching candidate given the work turning around the Jackson State (2020-2022) and Colorado (2023-2024) programs.

He also recently said that the only way he would consider leaving Colorado would be to coach both his sons, quarterback Shedeur Sanders and defensive back Shilo Sanders.

"The only way I would consider [coaching in the NFL] is to coach my sons. Not son. Sons," Sanders said on Good Morning America (h/t Shane Shoemaker of Sporting News). "I love Colorado, I love my Buffaloes, I love everything that we're building, I love everything that we're doing, and I love Boulder, Colorado."

Both of his sons are headed for the NFL. Shedeur Sanders could very well be the No. 1 pick of the NFL draft. He won't be heading to Dallas, which has a long-term quarterback in place with Dak Prescott and isn't in position to select Sanders anyway at No. 12 barring a huge trade-up or an inexplicable fall down the board.

Ultimately, the potential Sanders-Cowboys reunion is something to watch here given the multiple reports, although he's done a tremendous job at Colorado, seems happy there and could very well remain in Boulder too.

Dallas Cowboys star CeeDee Lamb made his opinion known in a small way after the team was linked with Colorado head coach Deion Sanders.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz pointed out that Lamb "liked" an Instagram post regarding Sanders' conversation with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones about their coaching vacancy.

#Cowboys star WR CeeDee Lamb "liked" our IG post about Jerry Jones speaking with Deion Sanders regarding the team’s head coaching vacancy. https://t.co/D9z3OYruuC pic.twitter.com/3ZAwdlUcVT

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 14, 2025

Sanders retired after the 2005 season. Players in the league now may have little to no recollection of him suiting up in the NFL, including the period when he cemented himself as one of the greatest cornerbacks in history.

Still, the 57-year-old maintains a massive profile within the sport, a fact that was driven home with how much attention has been paid to Colorado football since his arrival there.

Particularly among current and former Cowboys players and the team's fanbase, Sanders will be a popular pick after playing five seasons there.

I hope @DeionSanders get the cowboys coaching Job!

— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) January 14, 2025

Whether it's the Cowboys or somewhere else, the Hall of Famer would immediately command the respect of the locker room. Colorado going 9-4 after losing eight of its last nine games in 2023 also shifted the conversation about his coaching abilities as well.

That's not to say Sanders would be a home run hire for Dallas. There's a clear difference between the college and pro games from a coaching perspective, and a reunion between Sanders and Jones, two men with big personalities, has the potential to implode.

"Deion is the ultimate alpha. ... He won't have the same kind of influence in Dallas. ... Professionally, I just don't see this as being a match."

—@LRiddickESPN on Deion Sanders and Jerry Jones speaking about the Cowboys' HC vacancy pic.twitter.com/2lp5GNpy0f

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) January 14, 2025

News of Mike McCarthy's exit as head coach only surfaced Monday, so the Cowboys are just kicking off their coaching search. To the extent he's a genuine candidate for the job, Sanders is likely one of many names who will be vetted by the organization.

The coming days should reveal how serious this possibility is.

While most of the attention is going to be on Deion Sanders for the Dallas Cowboys' vacant head-coaching position, Jerry Jones is expected to look at other options from the college ranks.

Per ESPN's Dan Graziano, USC's Lincoln Riley, Texas' Steve Sarkisian, Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman and Iowa State's Matt Campbell are among the college coaches people around the NFL are expecting the Cowboys to at least check in on to gauge their interest.

Jones announced on Monday that Mike McCarthy wouldn't return as head coach in 2025 after five seasons as head coach.

Thank you, Coach McCarthy#DallasCowboys | 📰 https://t.co/lZcM1wJESO pic.twitter.com/FKAHQ2MFWB

— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) January 13, 2025

Hours after that announcement, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reported Jones had a conversation with Sanders about the Cowboys' job and talks were expected to continue as they also interview other candidates.

Sanders told ESPN's Adam Schefter it was "truly delightful" to speak with Jones, but he's still focused on his current job at Colorado.

“To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and it’s intriguing,” Deion Sanders told ESPN on Monday night. “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,… pic.twitter.com/OMossS9iOx

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 14, 2025

Freeman, who has led Notre Dame to the College Football Playoff Championship Game, has become an attractive candidate to NFL teams. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on Sunday the Chicago Bears want to interview him.

Schefter noted on The Pat McAfee Show that Freeman is "happy" with his current job at Notre Dame, but Sarkisian's name "has swirled around" league circles for weeks if he wants to leave Texas.

"I have heard that Marcus Freeman is happy at Notre Dame..

Steve Sarkisian is a name that has swirled around out there in NFL circles for weeks now..

We'll see if he has interest in going back to the NFL" ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/ZpVcKpHSS1

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 13, 2025

Riley's NFL prospects are hard to pin down because he's really struggled since leaving Oklahoma for USC. He went 55-10 in five seasons with the Sooners, but is just 26-14 in three years at USC.

Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated noted in November that Riley wasn't generating much "excitement" from NFL teams.

Campbell just led Iowa State to a single-season program record 11 wins and an appearance in the Big 12 Championship Game this season. He's a four-time conference Coach of the Year, including three times in the Big 12 and once in the MAC.

Sarkisian is the only member of this group with previous experience working in the NFL. He was a quarterbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders in 2004 and spent two seasons as offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons from 2017 to '18.

The Cowboys are looking for a new head coach after a disappointing 7-10 record this season. They have a good roster foundation in place led by Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons to build around.

McCarthy went 49-35 with three playoff appearances and two NFC East titles during his tenure in Dallas.

Deion Sanders said he still needs to "think about" the "intriguing" conversation with Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones regarding the possibility of leaving Colorado to become the Cowboys' next head coach.

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

On Monday, the Cowboys announced they were parting ways with head coach Mike McCarthy.

Before hanging up his cleats, Sanders won a Super Bowl with the Cowboys in 1995. He's now the head coach at Colorado, where he turned the team from an also-ran into a powerhouse in only two years. However, he's now facing a transitional period, as both of his sons (Shedeur and Shilo) along with other standout athletes like Travis Hunter are set to leave the Buffaloes and enter the NFL draft.

Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who was Sanders' defensive backs coach during his five seasons in Dallas from 1995 to 1999, expressed his belief in November that Sanders was not looking to leave Colorado anytime soon.

"Deion and I are obviously really good friends, and we talk weekly probably, but I'm not going to speculate on any jobs or anything like that because I don't think that's right," Zimmer said in November per, CBS Sports Garrett Podell. "I know that he's told me many times that he's really happy at Colorado. He likes it there. Obviously, they've done a great job. Trying to watch his games each and every week that I can to give him some tidbits and go from there."

Jones has been a fan of what Sanders has accomplished at Colorado since the beginning, often praising his exceptional abilities as a recruiter.

"One of his greatest skills, that he really brings to college, is that he almost has no peer as far as being a recruiter," Jones said in November on 105.3 The Fan." "Kids want to come play for him. And he has a way of selling that. That is one skill, that recruiting skill, that is not a huge prerequisite for NFL coaches. One of his greatest values is in that area of putting the team together and getting great talent to come play for him there at Colorado."

While Sanders and the Cowboys have not held a formal interview, there is "mutual interest" between the two, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

The Dallas Cowboys have a high-profile name as an early candidate for their vacant head coaching job.

Per Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has spoken to Colorado head coach Deion Sanders about the vacancy, and those conversations are "expected to continue regarding the possibility of him becoming the next head coach in Dallas."

Schultz noted that while Sanders and the Cowboys haven't had a formal interview, "there is mutual interest."

According to Schultz, Sanders is "considered a top candidate" but Dallas will go through the process of interviewing other candidates.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport also reported that Sanders has "some interest" in the job and the Cowboys "have at least some interest, as well."

Sanders told ESPN's Adam Schefter that hearing from Jones was "delightful" and "intriguing" but made no indication that he plans to leave Colorado.

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

Jones announced Monday that former coach Mike McCarthy would not return as head coach next season. McCarthy's contract expired last week, but he was in an exclusive negotiating window with the Cowboys until Tuesday at midnight.

Sanders has never held an NFL coaching job but has found success at the collegiate level. He led Jackson State to a 27-6 record with a pair of SWAC titles during his three years with the team before taking over at Colorado last year.

He inherited a Colorado team that went 1-11 the season before his arrival. The Buffaloes improved slightly in his first year at the helm, finishing 4-8, but took a major leap in 2024. Colorado finished 9-4 this season and was an upset loss to Kansas away from competing for a Big 12 title and perhaps punching a ticket to the College Football Playoff.

Sanders' second year also saw two-way star Travis Hunter win the Heisman Trophy, making him the second player in Buffaloes history to take home the coveted award.

Now Sanders could have a difficult choice to make if he's offered the job in Dallas. He could have the chance to lead his former team back to glory, but it would come at the cost of having to leave behind what he has built in Boulder.

Even if Sanders is offered the job, his recent comments would leave fans to believe he has no interest in it. Just last week during an appearance on Good Morning America, Sanders said it would take unique circumstances to draw him to the NFL.

"The only way I would consider is to coach my sons. Not son. Sons," Sanders said. "I love Colorado, I love my Buffaloes, I love everything that we're building, I love everything that we're doing and I love Boulder, Colorado."

The odds of a team having both of his sons are pretty unrealistic, but there is a world where the Cowboys could at least get star quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

Shedeur, who had an outstanding collegiate career and is now preparing for the NFL draft, is more than likely going to be one of the first quarterbacks off the board, meaning Dallas, which has the No. 12 pick, would likely have to trade up to draft him.

If the Cowboys are serious about getting Sanders to the Cowboys, figuring out a way to get Sheduer to Dallas could be their best selling point.

After NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on Monday that head coach Mike McCarthy isn't returning to the Dallas Cowboys following the expiration of his contract, Cowboys fans couldn't help but dream big about his potential replacement.

Fans took to social media in droves to call for the Cowboys to hire Colorado head coach Deion Sanders as their next head coach:

It’s already written. pic.twitter.com/VMwpIaGPBp

— Drew Garrison (@DrewGarrison) January 13, 2025

This really means Deion Sanders is gonna be the cowboys coach... Doesn't it. 🙃

— Coleman L (@ColeslawSZN) January 13, 2025

pic.twitter.com/GHs5RZuK4t

— Semper Veritas (@Fins1Up1) January 13, 2025

It’s time pic.twitter.com/X2DEYiE2Ji

— KingofKali (@FightThaPower) January 13, 2025

pic.twitter.com/iqAkELfrE3

— J Bond (@JBond69696969) January 13, 2025

Sanders spent five years of his Hall of Fame NFL career in Dallas from 1995 to 1999 and earned his second Super Bowl ring in his first season with the franchise. Three of his six career first-team All-Pro selections occurred while he was a member of the Cowboys, as did four of his eight career Pro Bowl selections.

Dallas went 7-10 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2020 in McCarthy's final year as head coach. During the team's struggles throughout the season, there were rumors that Sanders would be a potential replacement for McCarthy, but he shot down that notion and said he intended to remain at Colorado.

"I'm happy where I am, man. I'm good. I got a kickstand down. ... I'm resting. I'm good. I'm happy. I'm excited. I'm enthusiastic about where I am. I love it here, I truly do," Sanders said when asked about the rumors in November.

It appears that Sanders is now open to making the jump to the NFL, as Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported on Saturday that he has a "very strong interest" in becoming head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. However, The Athletic's Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed followed up with a report that said the Raiders had "zero interest" in hiring Sanders.

Perhaps the Cowboys will be more open to bringing in Sanders following his success with the team during his playing career, as the fans are desperate for some positivity following the team's disappointing 2024 campaign.