Report: Deion Sanders adds Byron Leftwich to Colorado staff

Former Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich will be joining Deion Sanders coaching staff with the Colorado Buffaloes, according to a report from Jordan Schultz of FOX. There were several videos of Leftwich at Colorado practices in recent days via social media.

He interviewed for multiple NFL jobs this past coaching cycle (Patriots head coach, Seahawks offensive coordinator), but now decided to make the move to the college ranks.

Leftwich played quarterback for the Steelers under head coach Mike Tomlin across two stints (2008, 2010-12). The 43-year-old spent the previous four seasons as Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator, winning a Super Bowl in 2020. With Tom Brady under center that season and in 2021, the Buccaneers owned one of the league’s best offenses.

In 2022, however, the Buccaneers struggled immensely on offense. Tampa Bay averaged just 18.4 points per game and had the NFL’s worst rushing attack, averaging 76.9 yards per game. After winning the NFC South and falling to the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Wild Card, Leftwich was fired.

One of Leftwich’s best seasons of his playing career came with the Jacksonville Jaguars, when he completed 60.5% of his passes for 2,941 passing yards, while tossing in 15 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. He guided the Jags to an 8-6 overall record and a playoff appearance in the 2005 NFL playoffs. Leftwich threw for over 2,000 yards three times in his career in the National Football League. Once he hung up his cleats in the pros, the former Marshall Thundering Herd star had completed 57.9% of his passes for 10,532 yards, while tossing in 58 touchdowns with 42 interceptions.

Byron Leftwich was one of the all-time greats at Marshall

During his college career with the Marshall Thundering Herd, Leftwich was nothing short of prolific and cemented his legacy as one of the best players ever to suit up in Huntington. For his career, he completed 65.1% of his passes for 11,903 passing yards, while tossing in 89 touchdowns with 28 interceptions. Once he wrapped up his career, he had piled up 12,084 total yards of offense, ranking third on the school’s all-time list behind MU legend Chad Pennington and the school’s all-time leader, Rakeem Cato.

Leftwich brought home MAC MVP honors in 2001 and 2002, as well as MAC Offensive Player of the Year honors both seasons, too. One of the more famous games of his career came when he was carried by linemen Steve Sciullo and Steve Perretta after breaking his shin, specifically the left tibia. He returned to the game, rallying his team from a 17-point comeback against Akron in November of 2002. Unfortunately, Marshall still lost the game 34-20.

On3’s Nick Geddes also contributed to this article.