Report sheds light on Cowboys’ level of interest in Deion Sanders

Sep 2, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders walks on the field before the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Deion Sanders has been mentioned as a potential head coach candidate for the Dallas Cowboys should they decide to move on from Mike McCarthy, but it is possible neither side has any interest in making that happen.

Connor Orr of Sports Illustrated published a story on Thursday listing more than two dozen head coach candidates who could draw attention in the upcoming hiring cycle. The reporter said he would not expect many current college coaches to receive significant interest at the NFL level, including Sanders.

While the thought of Sanders coaching the Cowboys is a dream for many football fans, Orr wrote that he has “not been alerted to any seriousness regarding a Deion Sanders and Jerry Jones reunion.”

That is not a surprise. For starters, there is no guarantee that McCarthy will be fired. The 61-year-old’s contract is set to expire after the season, but Jones has been known to stick with head coaches in recent years. Heck, Jason Garrett was the head coach in Dallas for a decade, and it felt like he was on the hot seat the entire time.

Sanders may not want to leave Colorado, either. The Buffaloes are 7-2 and have been on the rise after Sanders’ disappointing first season with the team last year. Sanders has said in the past that he has no desire to coach in the NFL. He had a very brief response this week when a former teammate asked him about the Cowboys rumors.

Jones is 82 and badly wants to win another Super Bowl in his life. Though hiring Sanders would send shockwaves across the sports world, there would be a great deal of risk involved with bringing in a coach who has no prior NFL coaching experience. That is one of many reasons a reunion in Dallas seems farfetched.