Deion Sanders has consistently said he has no interest in leaving the Colorado Buffaloes for the NFL unless he can coach his children.
But if there's one job that could tempt 'Coach Prime,' arguably college football's biggest star, into the bright lights of the pros without his family, it's the Dallas Cowboys.
That's why he accepted Jerry Jones' call this week after the Cowboys announced there would be no new contract for Mike McCarthy.
Sanders' attachment to the ailing franchise (he was part of the last Dallas team to win a Super Bowl) makes him a contender. Add to that his sassy personality and ability to switch teams quickly, and he could be a perfect fit for Jerry's World.
It says a lot about the brand Sanders has created for himself off the field over the past five seasons as a college coach that he's even in the running to lead the most valuable sports brand in the world.
His success as an athlete is undeniable. Sanders helped Jones and the Cowboys win a Super Bowl in 1996, having also won one with the San Francisco 49ers a year earlier.
Deion Sanders has held talks with Jerry Jones about becoming the next coach of the Dallas Cowboys
Sanders (pictured with Jones on the right) was part of the last Cowboys team to win the Super Bowl.
Sanders remains the only athlete to have played in both the Super Bowl and World Series (pictured)
Sanders, a cornerback, played 14 seasons in the NFL. He was named defensive player of the year in 1994 and was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times.
But the most impressive thing is that he also reached Major League Baseball. Sanders remains the only athlete to have played in both a Super Bowl and a World Series.
An outfielder for the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants, he was part of the Braves team that lost the World Series in 1992.
But it's his coaching credentials that are under the microscope now as the Cowboys weigh a reunion with a man who vowed he would “never turn pro” in response to NFL interest just over a year ago.
His two jobs as a college coach have been captured by Amazon Prime cameras for the documentary series 'Coach Prime'. His personality and methods have attracted mixed reviews, but the results are clear.
At Jackson State, he led them to back-to-back Celebration Bowl appearances and the school's first undefeated regular season while dealing with a water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi.
The second and third installments followed Sanders as he moved to Colorado and attention on the show and him grew exponentially.
The ESPN College GameDay cameras were live in Boulder, TV ratings skyrocketed, LeBron James stopped by the games, and merchandise sales skyrocketed.
Sanders transformed Jackson State, leading them to an undefeated season in the midst of a water crisis.
Interest in Sanders has never been greater and a perfect start to his first season with three straight wins only fueled the desire for more 'Coach Prime'.
Momentum soon stalled and just one win in the program's final nine games, plus disturbing reports about the culture within the team, led to dozens of players fleeing.
“It's like a real-life Grand Theft Auto video game,” said an anonymous former player he told Athlon in August 2024. 'There are a lot of distractions with fights, guns and money floating around. The environment is unlike any I have encountered before.
An alleged altercation from 2023 reportedly involved Deion's son, Shilo, slapping fellow defensive back Cormani McClain, who later transferred to Florida.
“After the Oregon State game (on Nov. 4), Shilo slapped him multiple times, which left Cormani yelling 'I'm going to kill you' repeatedly,” an anonymous former player told Athlon.
'After that, you could tell (McClain) wasn't there mentally. It's hard when coaches you trust insult you on the practice field.'
Athlon also reported on another case in which now-former Buffaloes offensive lineman Savion Washington and five-star recruit Jordan Seaton got into a fight, which one alleged witness compared to “two bears fighting over food.”
Additionally, receiver Kaleb Mathis was accused of hitting quarterback Colton Allen over a $10,000 gambling debt.
He was then hired by the Colorado Buffaloes, making them a must-see college program.
Deion previously said he would only go to the NFL if he could coach his sons Shedeur (left) and Shilo (right).
It was also reported that Deion demanded his players attend a Lil Wayne concert As a son and NFL quarterback, Shedeur would also rap on the show.
In April 2024, former Buffaloes safety Xavier Smith told The Athletic that Coach Prime told him to transfer after only one year in the program.
“I was actually getting angry, like I had tears in my eyes,” Smith told The Athletic.
'Because, brother, you didn't even try to know me. It was destroying the boys' confidence and faith in themselves. The way he did it, it could have been done with a little more compassion.”
In August 2024, Colorado banned Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler because the school's media department took issue with Sanders being described as the “Bruce Lee of BS” and a “false prophet.”
The publication also questioned Sanders' use of phrases like “Planet Prime,” “Deion Kool-Aid” and “circus.”
Those kinds of bold proclamations and Sanders' relentless presence on television and social media have turned off some fans.
Whatever was going on behind the scenes in Colorado, Sanders' reputation continued to grow.
Despite turning around the Buffaloes, Sanders never competed against college football's elite.
Sanders' famous recruiting strategy would not work in the NFL and particularly with the Cowboys.
So much so that he beat the likes of Lionel Messi and Novak Djokovic to be crowned Sports Illustrated's 'Sportsman of the Year' in 2023.
They described Sanders as “a transformative figure not only in Colorado, but for the entire realm of college sports” and someone who “represents a new model for the modern college coach.”
But despite his success at Jackson State and Colorado, Sanders has never coached on college football's biggest stage.
Those troubling reports about what life is like on a Sanders team will also concern Jones, who praised Mike McCarthy for the culture he had built in his farewell statement to the outgoing coach on Monday.
Three of the Cowboys' last four head coaching hires have had previous NFL head coaching experience and Sanders doesn't either.
A pillar of his success at the college level has been his ability to recruit future stars, but the Cowboys will have to move mountains to reunite him with his son Shedeur in this year's draft, especially as Dak Prescott becomes the highest-paid player in the history of the NFL. Months ago.
There also won't be a rapid turnover of players in Dallas, another benefit of Sanders' time in Colorado, meaning he will have to transform a team that still has a large number of McCarthy players.
Sanders will undoubtedly have challenges to overcome if he accepts the job, and his strong relationship with Jones will be tested.
Cowboys owner Jones is looking for a new coach after parting ways with Mike McCarthy.
Sanders clearly still has a good relationship with the billionaire Cowboys owner, and even issued a gushing statement once news of their conversations broke.
He said: “Listening to Jerry Jones is really charming and intriguing.
'I love Jerry and I believe in Jerry. After hanging up, processing it, and thinking about it, it's intriguing. But I love Boulder and everything about our team, the coaches, our student body and the community.'
It would certainly be a great bet for the Cowboys to hire Sanders. But 'Coach Prime' knows what it takes to win in Dallas and has proven he can handle the attention.