Deion Sanders may be on his way to accomplishing his aim of becoming a college football coach.
Sanders is expected to be a candidate for the Jackson State head coach position, according to Zach Barnett of Football Scoop. The school fired head coach John Hendrick earlier Monday.
Sanders would instantly become the highest-profile candidate. The 53-year-old would also be one of the biggest names coaching in the FCS. He would be facing a rebuilding job, as the Tigers have not finished above .500 since 2013. He would have extensive time to get into the job, as the SWAC will not be playing games this fall.
Beyond his two-sport career in football and baseball, Sanders is known for his tenure as an NFL analyst. He recently left NFL Network to join Barstool Sports, which has pledged support for his efforts to become a coach.
Sanders had a pretty ambitious target for when he would begin his coaching career. It appears that he might actually meet it after all.
Deion Sanders still has his eyes on coaching football, and Barstool Sports’ support of that ambition was a factor in why they were able to land him.
According to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post, Sanders’ agreement with Barstool comes with a promise from the company that it will support his efforts to find a college football coaching job. This was confirmed by Constance Schwartz, Sanders’ representative.
“You are not wrong on coaching in the future and Barstool is very supportive of that,” Schwartz told Marchand. “He is coaching now, but, as you said in your article yesterday, he still has aspirations to coach at the college level and Barstool is fully on-board for that.”
Sanders has made no secret of his desire to coach a college football team. He openly tried to land the job at his alma mater Florida State and has said he intends to have a job in the sport by 2021. If that works out, Sanders’ stay with Barstool could be a fairly brief one, but the company appears to be comfortable with that scenario.
Deion Sanders parting ways with NFL Network made headlines on Tuesday, but that report was just been a precursor to much bigger news.
Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand reported that Sanders was leaving NFL Network. A subsequent report from the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand said Sanders was asked to take a pay cut and declined.
Now we know why: Sanders is headed to Barstool Sports.
“Pardon My Take”, which is a Barstool Sports property and the No. 1 sports podcast on Apple Podcasts, announced that Deion Sanders has joined the company. Sanders was a guest on “Pardon My Take” on July 26, two weeks prior to the announcement, and then joined the show again for Wednesday’s episode, where the announcement was made.
Willie Colon, another former NFL player who joined Barstool Sports, hyped the announcement and was excited about it.
“I had no idea when I went on with you guys last time that this would transpire so quickly,” Sanders said on “Pardon My Take”.
According to the announcement on the episode, Sanders will launch his own podcast called “21st and Prime”, do some video work for Barstool Sports, and he will join “Pardon My Take” as an NFL guest on Sunday nights during the football season.
This is an absolutely massive hire for Barstool Sports, and likely the biggest name they have ever had on staff. Sanders immediately raises the profile and credibility of Barstool Sports. Prime can now become even more connected to a young audience.
One thing to keep in mind is that when Barstool has made splashy, big-name hires in the past, it hasn’t always worked out for the long-term. Pat McAfee retired from the NFL to join Barstool Sports, but that partnership fell apart and McAfee left the company. The company’s hire of Michael Rapoport ended up a disaster. Both sides are hoping this works out much better.
Deion Sanders is parting ways with the NFL Network, and a report says the two sides were unable to agree on pay.
The New York Post’s Andrew Marchand reported on Tuesday that the two sides had a contract dispute. NFL Network reportedly wanted Sanders to take a pay cut after his contract recently expired. The amount of the proposed pay cut was not disclosed.
Sanders, 53, had been with NFL Network for over a decade. He previously left a job with CBS over a pay dispute.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer has two football-playing sons — one at South Carolina and the other committed to Florida Atlantic. He has expressed interest in being a college football coach and has made a big promise in that regard.
Perhaps this is the first step towards Sanders embracing a new career direction.
Deion Sanders has been working as an analyst for NFL Network since he retired from playing in 2006, but the Hall of Famer will be looking for work elsewhere in the near future.
John Ourand of Sports Business Journal reported on Tuesday that Sanders and NFL Network are parting ways. NFL Network’s Head of Communications Alex Riethmiller confirmed the split in an email to SBJ.
“Deion has been one of the key figures responsible for the growth of NFL Network,” Riethmiller said. “We thank him for his work and wish him the best in the future.”
A source told Ourand that Sanders had agreed to a new deal with NFL Network but decided to leave.
Sanders was criticized recently for his stance on NFL players opting out due to the coronavirus pandemic, but there is no indication that had anything to do with him leaving NFL Network. It’s possible that Sanders is going to focus more on his desire to coach, which he has been open about recently.
Sanders said back in January that he will be the head coach of a college football program by 2021. He was linked to the Florida State head coaching job last year, though that talk may have been nothing more than rumors.
Deion Sanders had a message on Friday for athletes who are opting out of their sports.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer reminded athletes that sports are a business and that athletes are interchangeable.
Sanders’ comments come a day after the final tally showed 69 NFL players opted out of playing this season. The New England Patriots topped the list with eight players choosing not to play. Some of the notable players who opted out include Nate Solder, Dont’a Hightower, Damien Williams, CJ Mosley and Star Lotulelei.
Sanders, 52, played both professional football and baseball during his career, and also ran track in college. He was a versatile, hard-working athlete, who was recognized as one of the best players in the league during his time in the NFL. He doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable conversations, which probably explains why he didn’t mind sending a tweet that would make some feel uncomfortable.
Deion Sanders is trying to help Antonio Brown make his way back to the NFL, and the Hall of Fame defensive back is diving deep into his own personal struggles in order to make a connection with Brown.
Sanders attempted suicide in 1997 when he drove his car off a cliff. He has opened up about the dark period in his life in the past, and he mentioned it during a conversation with Brown that was captured by Bleacher Report.
Sanders was talking to Brown about the difficulty of creating a superstar persona and becoming “intoxicated with giving (fans) what they want.” The eight-time Pro Bowler said he couldn’t handle that when he got to a “personal low” in life, which is why he’s glad Brown has sought help and spoken to people about his negative thoughts.
Sanders vouched for Brown recently when the two worked out together. Prime Time is trying to help convince a team to sign Brown, though it’s unlikely that will happen until the NFL determines what — if any — disciplinary action will be levied against the 31-year-old.
The NFL has yet to announce punishment for Brown after investigating sexual misconduct claims against him by two different women. Since those allegations came to light, Brown was charged with burglary with battery after he and his trainer, Glenn Holt, allegedly attacked a moving truck driver. Brown pleaded no contest to a charge in that incident recently and avoided jail time.
Brown also streamed a live video on Instagram back in January that showed him berating police officers in front of his children. While his talent is undeniable, the off-field drama has essentially made him untouchable for the time being. Sanders is hoping to help change that.
Antonio Brown is hoping for a shot with an NFL team this summer as he awaits the league’s decision on potential disciplinary action, and Deion Sanders is trying to help the star wide receiver land his next contract.
Sanders revealed on Instagram Sunday morning that he and his son Shedeur trained with Brown over the weekend. Sanders shared some photos from the workouts and had high praise for Brown.
“My son came to town to WORK! On his Game, on his Life, On his Thoughts, on his Tomorrow & on ANTONIO BROWN! I Love him to life and I can’t wait to witness this comeback Story called A,B & See. I know what I know and I pray u all get to see what I know to be true about ANTONIO BROWN. God bless all y’all and please have a productive peaceful day we are Growing & Going!” Sanders wrote.
The NFL has yet to announce disciplinary action for Brown after investigating sexual misconduct claims against him by two different women. Since those allegations came to light, Brown was charged with burglary with battery after he and his trainer, Glenn Holt, allegedly attacked a moving truck driver. Brown also streamed a live video on Instagram that showed him berating police officers in front of his children.
Training with Sanders should give Brown some good exposure, but a recent report indicated he is not drawing much interest from NFL teams.
Deion Sanders never played a single game for the Kansas City Royals despite originally being drafted by them in 1985, and now it is being revealed that the backstory actually went a little deeper.
Houston Astros broadcaster Robert Ford shared a crazy story this week from legendary Royals scout Art Stewart, who was Kansas City’s scouting director at that time. Stewart said that the Royals, who selected Sanders in the sixth round of the 1985 draft, had a verbal agreement with Sanders to sign him out of high school. Stewart assigned a scout to get Sanders to sign that evening but the scout was afraid to go to Sanders’ neighborhood at night and went the next day instead. By then however, it was too late as Florida State had already gotten to Sanders. Ford adds that Stewart was furious and fired the scout.
Sanders went on to play at Florida State for four years, becoming a two-time All-American at football while also competing in baseball and track as well. He was then drafted by and signed with the New York Yankees in 1988 before the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons drafted him as well the very next year, making him one of history’s great multi-sport athletes.
Sanders himself recently said he wished he devoted more time to baseball, and it really makes you wonder how differently his career would have turned out had the Royals scout just shown up on time and signed him as a teenager.
No, Deion Sanders does not actually have a problem with Todd Gurley wearing No. 21 with the Atlanta Falcons.
Gurley had said in an interview that Sanders warned against wearing the number, but Gurley opted to take it anyway. When one fan said on Twitter that it seemed the Falcons were trying to erase Sanders’ legacy, the man himself stepped in to clarify that he was joking and had no issue with Gurley taking the number.
It’s easy to see how this turned into a controversy, and it’s good that Sanders is putting it to rest. Gurley likely sees it as a way to honor Sanders, and Sanders doesn’t have a problem with it after all.
