Deion Sanders coaching expectation is downright disrespectful to Colorado

Deion Sanders has completely revamped the Colorado Buffaloes football program in the span of two seasons. Say what you will about his methods — which invite no shortage of scrutiny — but the Buffs were a top 25 team this season. A couple of years ago, Colorado ranked among the very worst programs in the sport.

Coach Prime has brought the spotlight to Boulder, Colorado of all places, in large part due to the excellence of his sons. Shedeur Sanders is a No. 1 pick candidate in the 2025 NFL Draft, as is his teammate, Travis Hunter. The latter won the Heisman Trophy this season, netting 15 touchdown catches and four interceptions as a two-way player.

How the Buffs program fares without Shedeur and Hunter is yet to be seen, but it's clear Coach Prime has a knack for recruiting. He is going to hammer the transfer portal and attract big names to Boulder. That is, unless he bolts for a cushy NFL job.

The latest betting odds suddenly put Sanders' college coaching future in doubt.

With Mike McCarthy out of the Dallas Cowboys' job, Deion Sanders is the new odds-on favorite to coach his former team. That would mark a drastic change for Sanders — and a potentially catastrophic step back for the Buffs program.

Deion Sanders is the betting favorite to coach the Dallas Cowboys next season

Now... should we actually believe these odds? Maybe, maybe not. Jerry Jones does love a spotlight, and he's not shy about putting former players on the coaching staff (see: Jason Garrett, Kellen Moore). Sanders is among the most accomplished players in Cowboys history. He's a two-time Super Bowl champ, a DPOY and a member of the Hall of Fame. You can't say the man is without qualifications.

That said, the difference between coaching in college and coaching in the pros is profound. A lot of coaches nowadays seem to prefer the pros, as NIL has completely changed the recruiting landscape. College coaches are in constant recruiting mode, always at risk of losing key pieces to the transfer portal — even after a successful season.

Sanders, however, seems to thrive in that environment. He pushes players he doesn't like out the door and lures quality talent to Boulder with promises of NIL riches and a bright spotlight. Sanders has mastered the new college football landscape. Is he really going to give it all up to coach in Dallas, where he wouldn't even get the chance to coach his sons?

KOA Colorado's Benjamin Allbright believes this is just a leverage ploy from Coach Prime.

He believes Sanders will use NFL interest to coax a new contract out of the university, which is totally fair game. Sanders deserves all the credit in the world for what he has accomplished in Boulder. He deserves a raise, frankly, and Dallas is never paying that $8 million buyout. This is Jerry Jones we're talking about.

Sanders has said he wants to stay at Colorado time and time again, really only leaving the door open for an NFL jump if he can coach Shedeur (which he can't do in Dallas, where Dak Prescott leads the offense on a historically large contract). So, these odds feel a bit silly, maybe even disrespectful to the Buffs program. But hey, crazier things have happened in the NFL, and few owners are more prone to baffling and unexpected pivots than Mr. Jones.