Colorado head coach Deion Sanders is the biggest story in college football at the moment.
Momentum is riding sky-high following the Buffaloes dominating win over Nebraska to move to 2-0 on the season. Sanders’ style is unorthodox, but it’s surely working, and the entire college football world has taken notice.
Colorado fans may not want to hear this, but it’s natural to wonder if and when Prime takes the next step in his coaching career. It’s virtually impossible to imagine him staying at Colorado the rest of his career, especially if this rate of success continues.
Will he head off to a powerhouse program, such as Alabama whenever Nick Saban decides to retire? Maybe the Florida Gators with Billy Napier struggling the way he is? (Although, I doubt he’d stab his alma mater, Florida State, in the back like that.)
There’s also some rumblings about NFL teams potentially being interested in handing their keys to Prime.
In a recent column published on ProFootballTalk, Mike Florio made a compelling argument for NFL teams to pursue Sanders in the next hiring cycle. Florio highlighted Sanders’ infectious energy and his potential to transform any NFL franchise into a top destination for free agents.
“Someone needs to pursue Deion in the next hiring cycle. The team that gets him would instantly become the hippest and hottest and most attractive destination in the entire NFL. And Deion would be worth every penny he makes, and then some,” Florio declared.
“I believe. You should believe, too. Because Deion believes – and he knows how to make others believe in themselves. In a league where the margins are wafer thin, that belief can be all the difference on game day.”
Deion Sanders' pre-game speech before Colorado upset TCU:
"God gave me a word long before this. That man next to you is a miracle, that man next to you is a believer. We ain't got tomorrow, we got today. We ain't coming no more, we here." pic.twitter.com/79JV4fbqeu
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) September 3, 2023
Despite Florio’s endorsement, some believe that the NFL may be a premature consideration for Sanders. Regardless of his success with the Buffaloes this year, it appears highly unlikely that Sanders will entertain NFL offers any time soon.
One major factor that cannot be overlooked is the historical transition from coaching in college to the NFL. Many college coaching greats have struggled to replicate their success at the professional level, with only a select few achieving success at both levels.
For every Pete Carroll, who seamlessly transitioned from college to the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks, there’s an Urban Meyer, Nick Saban, Matt Rhule, and Kliff Kingsbury, whose NFL stints didn’t match their college success.
Looking at the big picture, what do you think the next step for Sanders will end up being?
It’s also important not to lose sight of the challenge he currently faces at Colorado. Yes, he’s off to a great start, but it all has the potential to go south quickly, especially since he has over 80 new players on the team.
But for now, the hype and hoopla surrounding Prime is stronger than ever.