Deion Sanders does have some interest in coaching in the NFL, after all.
While the Colorado coach repeatedly has said during his tenure in Boulder he has no plans to coach at the professional level, he now has been linked to two coaching vacancies in the NFL -- one of which is the Dallas Cowboys, with whom he won Super Bowl XXX.
Multiple reports said Coach Prime spoke with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones Monday about the position after Dallas agreed to part ways with Mike McCarthy, who was there for five seasons.
"To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and it's intriguing," Deion Sanders told ESPN's Adam Schefter. "I love Jerry and believe in Jerry. After you hang up, and process it, and think about it, it's intriguing. But I love Boulder and everything there is about our team, the coaches, our student body and the community."
As a future Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive back, Sanders won Super Bowl 30 as a member of the Cowboys -- his first of five seasons in Dallas. Jones made him the highest-paid defensive player (at the time) in the NFL with a seven-year, $35 million contract in free agency.
If Sanders wants to continue coaching his sons, there would be significant hurdles for the Cowboys. Dallas owns the No. 12 pick in the NFL draft, lower than the projections for former Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Sign Up for Pikes Peak 5 Game analysis and insights from The Gazette sports staff including columns by Woody Paige and Paul Klee.
Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. Featured Local Savings
Dallas also has its franchise quarterback in Dak Prescott, who signed a four-year contract extension worth $240 million ($231 million guaranteed) at the beginning of this season. Prescott has a $104 million dead cap hit for next season if he's dealt before June 1.
Sanders also has been linked to the Las Vegas Raiders job. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that Coach Prime had serious interest in the Raiders' coaching position, but The Athletic reported that the Raiders have "zero interest" in hiring Coach Prime, instead focusing on some of the top coordinators in the NFL and former NFL head coaches.
Las Vegas owns the No. 6 overall draft pick.
Could the interest be a negotiating tactic for Sanders? Former CU quarterback Joel Klatt said on FOX Sports that Coach Prime has a "very good offer in front of him" from the Buffs, and it's no secret CU athletic director Rick George would like to lock down Sanders on a long-term extension that makes him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football.
Sanders has a record of 13-12 across two seasons in Boulder and would enter the 2025 season without sons Sheduer and Shilo, as well as 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.