Deion Sanders’ name floated into NFL circles long before he addressed it publicly.
A serious amount of speculation began right after Colorado’s 2025 season. The Buffaloes had just finished 3–9 without Shedeur Sanders andTravis Hunter, who had already left for the NFL. Rumors also spread that NFL teams worried Coach Prime would try to follow his son to the pros.
The noise got loud enough that Sanders felt the need to shut it down himself.
Deion Sanders Denies NFL Ambitions
The 58-year-old Hall of Famer addressed the NFL coaching speculation recently, explaining exactly where his loyalty sits and dismissing any suggestion he was eyeing an exit from Boulder.
Deion Sanders Admits Colorado Made “Tremendous Mistakes” That Cost 2025 Season
Deion Sanders Admits Colorado Made “Tremendous Mistakes” That Cost 2025 Season (Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images)
On a recent appearance on Garrett Bush’s The Barbershop podcast, Sanders made his position clear to anyone who thought he was using Colorado as a stepping stone.
Hesaid, “I never wanted their job. I love Colorado, man. I love my kids that I have in that locker room. I love the staff. I love all of it. I ain’t trying to coach in no NFL. And I think a couple people may have thought that. And they thought if they brought him in, it would be that.”
He enters his fourth year at Colorado after a disappointing 3–9 season in 2025, where the team went 1–8 in Big 12 play. This followed an impressive 9–4 run in 2024. Their struggle actually started after the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Hunter second overall and the Cleveland Browns selected his son in the fifth round at pick 144. The incoming transfer class failed miserably to fill their void.
Plus, Sanders also faced a health crisis in 2025. He was diagnosed with bladder cancer in the spring and underwent surgery to remove his bladder that summer. The recovery kept him away from the team during critical offseason training.
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The toll of that year became clear during his recent appearance on The Barbershop podcast. Sanders discussed his frustration with his son’s drab slide, admitting he felt powerless.
“That was the first time in my life that I couldn’t fix it,” Sanderssaid, per NBC Sports. “He wanted me to fix it, and I didn’t have the power to fix it.”
Heading into 2026, Colorado landed the No. 17 spot in ESPN’s transfer portal rankings, bringing in roughly 40 new players. Sanders took a much more active role in recruiting than he did during the previous cycle because he is pretty healthy now. Redshirt freshman Julian Lewis is expected to start at quarterback, with Utah transfer Isaac Wilson providing depth.
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With a 16–21 record through three seasons in Boulder, he enters year four of a five-year, $54 million contract extension signed in March 2025. Following a massive roster and coaching overhaul, the team is expected to bounce back this year, much like they did in 2024.