Deion Sanders bluntly explains why he'll never coach in the NFL

After a Hall of Fame career as a football player, Deion Sanders hung up his cleats back in 2006. While ‘Primetime’ remained involved with the game in several factions, including as an analyst for NFL Network and several other companies, it didn’t take long for him to find his next career as a coach.

Sanders co-founded and became head coach of the Prime Prep Academy in 2012, where he’d get to work closely with his two sons Shilo and Shedeur Sanders, among a collection of other talented athletes. Sanders remained in this role for two seasons before moving onto another academy for two more years before taking an offensive coordinator role at Trinity Christian High School, once again coaching his two kids.

But then in 2020, Sanders went to the next level, becoming head coach of the Jackson State Tigers, a Division 1 FCS school. But the former Dallas Cowboys great thrived in his role, leading his team to the Southwestern Atlantic Conference title in his second season, while taking home honors as the FCS’ top head coach.

During his time at Jackson State, Sanders even managed to recruit the No. 1 high school football prospect in the nation, a player who, had it not been for Sanders, likely would have ended up at one of the major college football programs in the country. In doing so, Travis Hunter became the first five-star recruit to ever land with an FCS program.

After a 27-6 record across three seasons, Sanders was ready for yet another promotion, taking the head coaching job for the Colorado Buffaloes, where he’ll begin this season in D1 FBS level play.

Sanders’s rise up the coaching ranks has been incredible, so what’s in his future? Could a path to the NFL exist for one of the most recognizable football icons today?

Not according to the 55-year-old Sanders, who suggests he doesn’t have any interest in pursuing a leading role with an NFL franchise.

“I don’t have any desire or ambition to coach in the NFL. I have a problem with men getting their checks and not doing their jobs. I would be too tough as a coach in the NFL because I still have those old-school attributes.”
Deion Sanders on potential NFL interest

Well, there you have it. Despite building his reputation as a coach at several levels, Sanders doesn’t appear primed to take the next step to the NFL any time soon, if ever. Instead, Sanders’ next rung may simply be to move on from Colorado, taking another step up in college football, landing with a more prestigious program with a much larger budget for athletics.