Cowboys legend chastises Jerry Jones for passing on Deion Sanders

It's fair to say the Cowboys' decision to hire Brian Schottenheimer this week has not exactly electrified the team's fan base. It's gone down even worse for one of the greatest players to ever suit up for Dallas. Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin is not pleased with the organization's failure to bring Deion Sanders back to the Cowboys.

The outspoken media member had a lot to say on the issue in a video he posted on social media on Saturday. He pointed out that the Cowboys had fallen well behind their division competitors since the Commanders and Eagles are poised to play for the NFC crown on Sunday. Furthermore, Irvin believes passing on Deion Sanders represents a "lost opportunity" for his beloved Cowboys.

Irvin's position may be too emotional given his personal ties to Sanders and love for the Cowboys. The merits behind his argument are reasonable nonetheless. As he points out in the video, Schottenheimer has bounced around from team-to-team in recent seasons. Dallas needs stability at the top and Sanders might have been a more stable, unifying choice.

Did the Cowboys make a mistake passing on Deion Sanders?

The flip side to that argument is that Sanders lacks NFL coaching experience. He's done a nice job in recent seasons at Colorado but part of his success with the Buffaloes has been fueled by his ability to outspend the competition with NIL dollars. Sanders has done a good, but not great job with the talent advantage he's enjoyed in Boulder.

He would not enjoy that same advantage in Dallas. The Cowboys' roster features some high end talent but lacks the depth that their competitors inside the NFC East enjoy. There's no clear reason why Sanders would be successful at the pro level other than his ability to connect with players with his vibrant personality.

Ultimately, the Cowboys went with a more conventional candidate. Schottenheimer might lack the theoretical upside that Sanders possesses and that's at the heart of Irvin's disappointment with the franchise. Time will tell if Irvin or Jerry Jones got this call right.