National Football League

Deion Sanders identifies Cowboys' 'main issue,' reaffirms he'd never coach in NFL

Updated Jan. 21, 2024 7:03 p.m. ET

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Mike McCarthy will spend at least one more year as Dallas Cowboys head coach, but when the time comes to replace him, don't expect Deion Sanders to throw his hat into the ring.

The Hall of Fame cornerback, who once starred for the Cowboys and made waves in college football this past year after leading Colorado to a 3-0 start before the Buffaloes' season unraveled, reiterated that he has no interest in being an NFL head coach. 

"I'm good. I would never coach pros," Sanders told former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III on the latter's podcast recently. "You played with guys that was getting a handsome check that didn't want to play. How am I going to handle that as a coach? … Here [in college], I can regulate that. At the next level, come on, man. These cats don't even want to practice no more.

How will the Buffs fare in Year 2 under Deion Sanders?

"I think the game is getting better and better because the athletes are phenomenal nowadays, but I can't do it. I love the college game. I love still having influence on the minds and the games of these young men. I love shaping them and molding them. I couldn't do that on the next level." 

Sanders' comments to Griffin should not be a surprise to those who have closely followed his past statements on the subject. Despite constant speculation he could one day coach in the same league he once dominated as a player, Sanders has continued to express similar sentiments both publicly and privately when asked about the possibility of being an NFL head coach. 

While "Coach Prime" won't be helping his former team win another Super Bowl, which Dallas hasn't done since Sanders was on the roster following the 1995 season, he offered his perspective on its repeated postseason shortcomings. Last week's stunning wild-card loss to the Green Bay Packers marked the Cowboys' 13th consecutive playoff appearance without reaching the conference title game. The 28-year drought is currently the second-longest in the NFC.

The Cowboys' main issue, according to Sanders, is they're not living up to the famous mantra, "big-time players making big-time plays in big-time games."

"I've been on every side of this thing," Sanders said. "I know you can dial it up, but if [the players] don't do their jobs, it ain't gonna work. … I wish we could watch the game film in the stadium with the fans, so they could see what's said in [those] meetings."

Why Mike McCarthy is not fully to blame for the Cowboys woes

Regarding his own team, Sanders has brought in several reinforcements for the Buffaloes' 2024 season via the transfer portal — especially on the offensive line, whose struggles led to quarterback Sheduer Sanders, Deion's son, becoming the most-sacked quarterback in the FBS last season. Colorado is gearing up for its transition back to the Big 12 conference next season.

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