Deion Sanders | Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images
“Coach Prime” just might draw NFL interest this offseason.
Deion Sanders has been the hottest story of the college football season so far. “Coach Prime” has his Colorado Buffaloes sitting at 3-0 in after a 1-11 season last year that led the school to the bold move of hiring the Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback as its head coach.
Sanders has all eyes on him as he is changing the coaching world. There has been speculation that the NFL could come calling for Sanders in January. Yes, Sanders has recently stated that he doesn’t want to coach in the NFL. But, well, money always talks and coaches are pretty famous for changing their minds.
So, if, indeed, Sanders does receive NFL interest in less than four months, here are some potential teams that could make sense for making a move on Coach Prime, presented in alphabetical order:
Sanders spent his first five NFL seasons in Atlanta and he was the centerpiece of an exciting time surrounding the team in the early 1990s. He has a relationship with Falcons owner Arthur Blank. If the Falcons, who have started 2-0, fall apart in a winnable NFC South, Blank could have interest in bringing Sanders back to his NFL roots. Sanders wanted this job 20 years ago. Now, that is more realistic, would the feeling be mutual?
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Jerry Jones, Deion Sanders at NFL honors in February, 2023
Like the Falcons, Dallas is 2-0. The Cowboys should be legitimate Super Bowl contender and if they fall short, owner Jerry Jones could finally pull the plug on coach Mike McCarthy. it has been rumored at the end of many recent seasons. It’s bound to happen at some time. Jones and Sanders are close (he played for Dallas for five years and was part of their last Super Bowl winning team). Jones has been complimentary of Sanders the coach. Who says this couldn’t happen?
Raiders’ owner Mark Davis loves to take big swings at splash head coaches. That’s why he gave Jon Gruden a 10-year, $100 million deal in 2018 to come back to the franchise. That’s why he’s tried to hire Jim Harbaugh multiple times and he somehow thought he got a big fish in Josh McDaniels last year. If the Raiders flounder (they are 7-12 under McDaniels) and Davis decides to make a move, Sanders would certainly qualify as splash hire. Davis hates that his beautiful new Las Vegas showcase, Allegiant Stadium, is often overrun by fans of the visiting team. Hiring Sanders would be a way to build excitement.
The Chargers have long been looked at as the stepchild in L.A. This would go a long way to making this squad relevant in Hollywood. The stars are flocking to Boulder to see the Deion Show. it would be wild in L.A. Sanders would have to be intrigued by the Chargers’ loaded roster starting with quarterback Justin Herbert. Brandon Staley has taken the art of Chargering to a new level as the team has blown three straight late leads dating back to the playoffs. Coach Prime to the rescue?
This one may be a stretch, but there has been speculation that Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft could make a move away from Bill Belichick if they don’t win in another year in the post-Tom Brady world. The Patriots are sitting 0-2 and it could be a long season. Could Kraft turn to Sanders. Well, when owners move away from longtime coaches in the NFL, they often hire a replacement who has a different style than the previous coach. The Belichick-to-Sanders transformation would fit this model. Just saying.
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Deion Sanders in 2000
There is a new ownership group in Washington and if it wants to make a big new hire, Sanders would be a sizzle hire. He played in Washington in 2000, and the fan base would be fired up.
