ESPN insider reveals whether Deion Sanders is expected to make NFL jump, what executives think

ESPN’s Kimberly Martin expects Deion Sanders to get interest from the NFL, perhaps from the Dallas Cowboys as well.

But there’s no guarantee that Sanders would leave Colorado for the pros. Sanders already publicly stated he’s happy in Boulder and doesn’t have interest in the Cowboys.

But Martin said that didn’t dispel any chatter about the head coach.

“There’s a lot of chatter around him and conversations involving him,” Martin said. “Now, whether to just point if it works out remains to be seen. I think when a word that we talk we’ve used with Deion is culture builder, program builder, and when you look at a lot of these franchises right now, they are struggling to get it right. Whether it’s the head coach, the quarterback, or just even in Dallas, where you look at a team where it’s like these guys have (no) fight … Where’s the physicality, where’s the attitude, where’s ‘this is our house?’ 

“Like that is what Deion (Sanders) brings. Instant credibility, a guy who played in the NFL and who has shown that he can handle the media spotlight and all that. So I expect him to get interest. It’s a matter of how much Colorado wants him to stay versus how much Deion wants to leave.”

Speaking at his presser Tuesday, Sanders made it clear he loves Colorado. It seemed clear that he wasn’t going anywhere, saying he has a “kickstand down.”

“I’m happy where I am,” Sanders said. “I’m good. I’ve got a kickstand down. You know what a kickstand is? A lot of people in here not of age, don’t now 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, I truly do.”

Deion Sanders to NFL debate rages on

ESPN debated the topic again during Tuesday’s Get Up in response to former Cowboy Dez Bryant pining for Sanders to coach the team. But Louis Riddick said Sanders is better suited for college football and might not even leave Colorado to go somewhere like Florida State.

“The NFL needs, and probably, realistically should want Deion much more than I believe Deion wants the NFL, or needs the NFL,” Riddick said. “Okay, so he, right now, is in the driver’s seat if there is legitimate interest in him. I don’t know if the NFL is a great fit for him because of the way he wants to coach and what he demands in terms of player buy in, player discipline, no second guessing the coach. Like there’s a lot of things … I don’t want to stereotype every NFL player … There are players that want to be coached hard. And Deion, make no mistake, do not get fooled by the glasses, the gold chains, the change of outfits. This man is old school, and he’s no nonsense … 

“But I don’t know if he wants to deal with the NFL right now … But in my (talks) with him, it would take a lot in order for him to leave the college game. It’s going to take a lot for him to ever leave Colorado. You see how they’re playing right now? You see how this football team looks right now? Why would you want to leave?”