It almost feels like the stars are aligning. Deion Sanders has shown in his second season in charge of the Colorado Buffaloes that his early success as a coach was no fluke. Meanwhile, the 3-7 Dallas Cowboys are in the midst of their worst start in 20 years.
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Dallas has failed to win more than three of their first nine games of a given season just 13 times in the franchise’s history. It’s clear as day that Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy’s seat is hot. So with McCarthy on his way out the door, and Sanders—whose five years playing for the Cowboys in the late 1990s were arguably his best as a pro—becoming a “prime” head coaching candidate, it seemed like a match made in heaven for the Cowboys to bring him into the fold.
It’s been a popular theory that has been peddled by everyone, but there are others out there who hold a contrary view.
Former NFL MVP Cam Newton gave his opinion on why Sanders should move onto another college program rather than the Cowboys while speaking on ESPN’s First Take on Friday.
“No, I do not think [going to the Cowboys] would be a good look [for Sanders]. What is a good look, I do believe, for Prime, is Florida State University. It makes the most sense. Not only would you have more time to build a foundation, you’d have more resources than, respectfully, Colorado… I don’t think he would have the same time frame in Dallas… In this day and age, everything has changed: we want, right now, results, but, we don’t have time, to wait for nothing.”
.@CameronNewton believes Deion Sanders should consider coaching at FSU 👀 pic.twitter.com/Fu1sf6mEn1
— First Take (@FirstTake) November 15, 2024
Newton makes a good argument, it can’t be denied. Sanders attended Florida State from 1985-1988, and his No. 2 jersey has been retired by the Seminoles. However, at this point, the odds that Sanders departs Boulder anytime soon seem slim to none.
Deion Sanders has been clear about his intention to stay with CU
Cam Newton is far from the only person throwing out suggestions about Deion Sanders’ next move. But it doesn’t matter, because Primetime isn’t focused on his next move, he’s focused on the now. And the now for Coach Prime is the Colorado Buffaloes.
He’s got them up to 7-2 on the season and ranked 17th in the nation. He’s got them headed to just their second bowl game since 2008. Newton talked about how Sanders could build a foundation at FSU, but what about the one he’s already built in Boulder? He took a team that was 1-11 in 2022, brought them to 4-8 last year, and they’re ranked this year.
Sanders’ sons, Shedeur and Shilo, are both departing after this season. However, Sanders didn’t sign with Colorado just to coach his sons. Sanders spoke about his commitment to Colorado during an appearance on FS1’s Speak earlier this week. When former Cowboys teammate, Michael Irvin, began intimating that Prime should join the Cowboys, the coach shut it down quickly.
“You’re starting to talk that talk. I gotta show you where I am. I love it where I am. I love it where I am.”
.@michaelirvin88 asked @DeionSanders about coaching the Cowboys… Watch until the end to see Prime's response 😂 pic.twitter.com/wonYbtDR4H
— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) November 13, 2024
As Sanders reiterated his love for CU, he picked up the computer and showed the rest of the Speak panel the Colorado facilities he was in at the time, even giving them a look at the Buffaloes’ home field.
Sanders may make the move to the NFL eventually, but not right now. He’s still in the midst of a five-year, $29.5 million contract with the Buffaloes—though he might be looking to renegotiate those wages very soon.
