Colorado Buffaloes football coach Deion Sanders spoke with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones about the franchise’s head coaching position opened up by Mike McCarthy’s firing in January. There was never anything more than that.
No interview, and certainly no hiring.
The Athletic’s Jon Machota included Coach Prime’s flirtation with his former team as one of the main storylines heading into the Cowboys’ main storylines heading into their season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Despite it looking like Mike McCarthy might get a new contract following a disappointing 7-10 finish last season, the Cowboys and McCarthy parted ways on Jan. 13. Eleven days later, former Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer was named the 10th coach in franchise history. Before that decision was made, Jones had conversations with Deion Sanders about the team, which could’ve been a reality TV series dream duo. Kellen Moore, Robert Saleh and Leslie Frazier also interviewed for the position. There was also an informal conversation with Pete Carroll. But Schottenheimer, whom Jones was originally interested in remaining as OC and play caller, began to win over the discussions about the team’s next head coach,” Machota wrote.
Dallas went through a number of changes in the offseason. Sanders dealt with even more in his personal life. It was the continuity on Coach Prime’s Colorado coaching staff that helped the program survive his nearly fatal battle with bladder cancer.
It wouldn’t have worked with the Cowboys. It probably won’t be a conversation anymore, considering Coach Prime’s health.
Sanders’ Buffs led the season off with a 27-20 loss to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets last Friday. His late-game clock management put Pat Shurmur under the microscope and all but put the game out of reach.
Sanders doesn’t appreciate that narrative. Coach Prime defended Shurmur took ownership of the offense’s struggles this past week.
We’ll see how the Buffs’ headman adjusts against their first-year Conference USA foe. Colorado takes on the Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens this Saturday as a four-score favorite at Folsom Field.