FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys and Mike McCarthy decided to move on from one another after the 2024 season, ending a five-year partnership. That fallout had as much drama as one would expect from any business matters involving the Cowboys but is simply a matter of the past now.
Dallas identified Brian Schottenheimer as his replacement, receiving a promotion from the offensive coordinator role that he held last year. Schottenheimer is brand new to his post though the front office and players have posited confidence in his leading the team forward.
His hiring of course did not come without antics through the process. Schottenheimer emerged as a dark horse candidate after several other names had more traction in the initial stages.
Deion Sanders was one of those names that circulated from a national perspective. The University of Colorado head coach was reported to have had "conversations" with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones at the time.
Those had nothing to do with the vacancy Jones was looking to fill, but many drove forward theories, fantasies and speculation that had no merit.
Indeed, on the very night that Deion "met with'' Jones ... Mike Fisher of CowboysCountry.com broke the story with two sources establishing that the much-publicized phone call was a dog-and-pony show designed to provide Sanders with leverage against CU.
Says Fisher: "Jerry did Deion a favor by letting him pretend it was an interview. Then Deion told an 'insider' pal at ESPN to write it as a 'news story.' It was all a ruse, from the start.''
Congrats to Deion on his $54 million extension.
I wonder how much of that comes as a result of the #Cowboys Jerry Jones' fake job-interview ruse?
— fishsports ✭ (@fishsports) March 28, 2025
If there was any doubts about Sanders' stance on returning to The Star where he once played, those were put to rest on Friday. Sanders signed a five-year $54 million extension with the Buffaloes, making him one of the highest paid coaches in college football.
"I'm excited for the opportunity to continue building something special here at Colorado," Sanders said in a statement. "We've just scratched the surface of what this program can be. It's not just about football; it's about developing young men who are ready to take on the world.
"I'm committed to bringing greatness to this university, on and off the field. We've got work to do, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but here, making history with these incredible players and this passionate fan base. Lastly, anybody got at least a five-bedroom home with acreage for sale?"
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An apparent comedian and better football coach, Sanders looks to be setting his roots in Colorado for the time being. Sanders has garnered significant financial benefits for the university in his time there, but the work on the field may be more remarkable.
Sanders took over a program that had gone 1-11 and in two years led the Buffaloes to a nine-win season and an appearance in the Alamo Bowl. Amid the continued challenges of the school's move to the Big 12 and the losses of two of the best players in the sport in Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, the workload is certainly laid out for him.
Nonetheless, the Cowboys and Sanders are happy in their new ventures and can finally brush away all the speculation of their conspiring behind closed doors.
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This story was originally published March 28, 2025 at 5:16 PM.