Deion Sanders took the leap to Power 5 football last winter when he agreed to become the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes. Early on, Sanders brought new excitement and high expectations for the program after leading the team to a 3-0 start.
But since, they have won one of their next five games and are in danger of missing out on a bowl game. The team will only get better with recruiting and transfers in the coming years. But how long would Sanders be with the program? Not only that but how long will he coach college football?
During an appearance on "The Dan Patrick Show," Sanders was asked if he would consider making the jump to the NFL to become a head coach. The Hall of Fame cornerback and wide receiver emphatically said, "No."
Deion Sanders says he won't coach in the NFL
"I don't think I'm built for the NFL," said Sanders. "I appreciate the game so much and I respect the game so much and what the game has consistently done for me for a multitude of years that when I see a guy getting paid millions and millions of dollars, and he has no respect for the game, that does not want to excel and exceed expectations of the game, I'm going to have a true problem.
"So I'm the kind of coach where I'd go out there with 53 [players], and come back out there after halftime with about 32. Because I can't do it. I'm too brutally honest and I want to win that much that I need everybody that respects the game, and often times money clouds that judgment. It's happening in college football. Money clouds that love and that passion for the game."
Patrick followed up, asking if he would leave for the NFL if his sons, quarterback Sheduer Sanders and cornerback Shilo Sanders, were to enter the draft. Deion says that Shedeur and Shilo are both going to declare for the NFL Draft together after next season, joking, "They better try not to leave Daddy this year." Sanders then said he doesn't know if he would make the jump with his sons, saying he's focused on trying to win a game and not looking down the road.
Shedeur is one of the top quarterback prospects at the collegiate level, but the 2024 class will be crowded with the likes of USC's Caleb Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye, Michigan's J.J. McCarthy, Washington's Michael Penix Jr., and Oregon's Bo Nix. Next year would present itself as a
Back to Deion, this is nothing new for him. He's said numerous times that he doesn't feel that his coaching style would translate to the pros, especially among players who are making huge money. So, he's focused on the collegiate level and Colorado.
Sanders has already exceeded expectations, surpassing the team's one-win total from last year. But he needs two more wins to help Colorado make it to a bowl game, and they have a tough stretch to close out the year against Arizona, Washington State, and Utah.
