The 2025 season has been extremely hard for Deion Sanders at the Colorado Buffaloes, as he wrapped up the season with a 3-9 record. The 2026 season came with a chance to prove himself and pitch his case to bigger programs. However, those chances are now diminished, thanks to a troubling start this season.
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“It’s unfortunate for Deion because if Deion had Colorado in the right light, his perfect transition would be to come back to Florida and go to Florida State,” former NFL wide receiver Cris Carter said on the Fully Loaded Podcast on September 29. “But I don’t think his resume has been strong enough for the board of directors and everyone there at Florida State to build a pay that big a buyout to their current coach and then bring Deion back to Florida State, to bring the sizzle back to Florida State.
“But I think that Jimbo Fisher might end up getting that job because of his overall record at Florida State and the people he’s got in the state working for him to try to get him that job back.”
Colorado had a strong start to the season, winning the first two games. They needed the momentum because of the lingering humiliation of the 3-9 finish last year. But Colorado has lost the next two games, and the problems that plagued thier campaign last year are also being seen this year. For example, quarterback Julian Lewis was benched in the Baylor game, giving way to perhaps yet another QB roulette, like last year.
The potential of Deion Sanders’ success at Colorado was doubted ever since he entered the 2025 season without star players Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. Cris Carter argued that Colorado simply doesn’t have good talent on the team anymore.
“Deion basically had two of his kids who got them on the map. And then now that they’re gone to the league, he hasn’t been able to recruit the way that he thought,” Carter said. “Colorado is a hard place to recruit to. … Like, you can’t recruit Colorado and play division one football. You’ll get smacked. They don’t have enough division one football players in that little radius.”
Simply put, Colorado no longer has the oomph in the roster it did in 2024, when Travis and Shedeur played. Colorado finished 9-4 that year and had a Heisman winner in Hunter. But the lack of similar results has cast doubt on the longevity and the direction of Coach Prime’s career.
Sanders’ name has been linked to FSU since athletic director Michael Alford was fired in September. Sanders played at Florida State from 1985 through 1988 and became one of the most recognizable players in the program’s history.
Mike Norvell is still the Seminoles’ head coach, but he has been on the hot seat for a very long time. Now that FSU is 2-2, rumors of his exit have been swirling again.
“Must be hard for Norvell to coach this year knowing Deion Sanders is taking his job next year…,” Rod Brooks, post-game analyst on NBC Sports Bay Area wrote on X.
Before Sanders began his coaching career at Jackson State, Sanders had already expressed interest in the FSU vacancy in late 2019. He made that interest known by reaching out to his former defensive coordinator, Mickey Andrews, with a request.
But according to Carter, the nostalgia factor will not be enough for Florida State to open the door for their ex-player. At the end of the day, FSU would weigh how much they can compromise with Sanders’ resume, considering how much it will cost them financially.
Colorado committed $54 million to Sanders over five years through 2029, including a $10 million salary for 2026. Meanwhile, FSU will have to pay a hefty buyout to Norvell, which is estimated to be $46.7 million if he is fired during or after the 2026 season.
Had Deion Sanders maintained the ‘Coach Prime effect’ in Colorado, Florida State might not have thought twice before welcoming him back to the program. He would have had better players to coach there, and perhaps a shot at coaching success.