The moment the Dallas Cowboys job opened up, Deion Sanders was in the headlines. And it made sense then. The franchise had just moved on from Mike McCarthy after missing the playoffs. The Colorado head coach was a Cowboys legend with a familiarity with GM Jerry Jones. For a few weeks, the idea of him returning to America’s Team went wild. But the truth is, he never really considered it. 

During an interview with Front Office Sports, host Baker Machado asked the question everyone wants an honest answer for. Just how real were those Cowboys rumors? Deion Sanders didn’t hesitate.

“They weren’t real at all,” he said. “I like playing the pro game but I wouldn’t enjoy coaching the pro game. It’s a different game. I’m focused on winning and getting these kids through college so they have degrees, and they’re able to attain tremendous professions even after football is over. But I have no thought process of the NFL whatsoever.”

It’s not the first time Deion Sanders had to explain why he loves coaching college kids rather than pros. Yet despite that, the rumors have never really disappeared. Part of that is because he and Jerry Jones actually did talk.

Following McCarthy’s departure in January 2025, ESPN’s Todd Archer reported that Deion Sanders spoke with Jerry Jones regarding the vacancy. However, no official interview was scheduled and no formal process took place. But that talk alone was enough for Cowboys fans desperate for a turnaround to buy in.

After all, this was Deion Sanders. He played in Dallas and won a Super Bowl there. But then, he eventually signed a five-year, $54 million extension that keeps him in Boulder through 2029, shutting down the rumors. During an appearance on The Skip Bayless Show last March, he gave an inside peek surrounding the Cowboys topic. 

“I’m not going to say it was offered to me…” he clarified. “We didn’t go to that level.”

Even before this, Deion Sanders has spent the past several months saying the same message. Back in November 2024, before McCarthy had even been fired, he was already denying the NFL rumors.

“I’m happy where I am, man,” he said at the time. “I’ve got a kickstand down. You know what a kickstand is? … That means I’m resting. I’m good, I’m happy, I’m excited. I’m enthusiastic about where I am. I love it here, truly do.”

That comment alone shows how he believes he’s already found the perfect opportunity in Boulder. However, the most revealing comments may have come shortly after Shedeur Sanders was selected by the Cleveland Browns.

Why Deion Sanders keeps choosing Colorado over the NFL 

Appearing on The Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show in May, Deion Sanders addressed theories surrounding Shedeur’s surprising draft slide. He suggested some NFL decision-makers may have wrongly believed hiring his son would eventually mean hiring him.

“Certain people thought I wanted their job,” he said. “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 tryin to coach no NFL.”

It’s a message Deion Sanders had repeated countless times. In his view, the college game allows him to impact lives in a way the NFL can’t.

“See I couldn’t coach NFL,” he said. “I coach college. I have a problem with very very rich men not wanting to do their jobs. So I know I would go in at halftime and come back out with eleven guys. That’s why I love college football. You can still have an impact because those guys want to get to the pro level so they can make money. I don’t think I could be impactful in the pros.”

As Deion Sanders heads into Year 4 at Colorado, his focus is to flip the 3-9 narrative from last season. The Buffs have brought in a transfer class ranked among the nation’s top 25. And as the head coach has said, he’s not chasing the NFL but he’s chasing championships in college.