Could you imagine Warren Sapp running a college football program? Before we even entertain that idea, let’s get one thing straight: The Hall of Famer and Colorado’s senior quality control analyst is at one of the best stages of his life, surrounded by the right people. And while he raised many eyebrows when Deion Sanders hired him last season due to his lack of coaching experience, his one year in Boulder only fired up his passion. And he’s more inclined to what he can bring to the table rather than manage everything. 

Head coach? Not so fast. Warren Sapp shut down the talk quickly — “Who wants to be a head coach?” The 13-year NFL player made an appearance on DNVR Sports on February 6 to clear the air on the head coaching aspirations. “It’d have to be a coach’s son or somebody with a calling like Deion Sanders,” Sapp admitted. “I don’t want to be a head coach. I don’t even want to be a defensive coordinator.” We have the answer to part one of our curiosity. So, what does he want to be? “Pass rush coordinator. I want to teach what I know.”

Warren Sapp kept it real, saying, “That’s the one thing I think we have an issue with. Too many people trying to put stuff on their plate. Teach what you know and master it. If you’re good at it, it will show.” And in Boulder, it has shown. The former NFL DT assisted the Buffs’ defense, which saw a surge in recorded sacks from 27 in 2023 to 39 in 2024. And it was through the joint effort of Sapp, DL coach Damione Lewis, and DE coach Vincent Dancy that the Buffs enjoyed one of the top pass-rush units this past season. 

Even better news for Colorado? Over half of their key defensive contributors will make a return in 2025. Some of these players are Arden Walker with 4.5 sacks, Keaten Wad,e and Taje McCoy with 4 sacks each. No wonder Warren Sapp is so excited for what’s next — “We’re just getting started. We have the foundation laid. It’s a solid foundation, so now we’re going to put the pillars up, put a roof on this thing, and make it a pavilion.” You might just guess where this mindset comes from.

Warren Sapp loves what Colorado has to offer

Warren Sapp has found a home in Colorado and college football. And he credits both the players and Deion Sanders for keeping him motivated. His appearance on the Rich Eisen Show on Wednesday didn’t mask his happiness and satisfaction. When asked about his college football job, he declared, “I’m so addicted to it, Rich… The young men make you addicted to it because of their eagerness to learn and do right. You know, that’s our call in our room. ‘Do right.’ Do right by your teammates, do right by your coach, do right by everything that’s going on, and everything you want will come to you.” He also put Deion Sanders on the pedestal, saying, “His instincts of the game, his attention to detail, he’s driving the train.”

Always the hype machine, but this isn’t the first time Warren Sapp spoke about coaching in college football. He reiterated this statement last August, saying it’s the players that give him a purpose. And the reason? Here’s his anecdote — “I’ve worked with pros that are getting my phone number and tell me they coming to Miami. And my house is a mile and a half from where they work out, and they’ll never call. These kids call me at 5:30 in the morning, ‘Coac,h you wanna come watch tape with me?’ It’s crazy. I’m like, ‘Yeah, give me a purpose to get off the couch!’… I’m loving this.”

It’s no surprise that Warren Sapp is thriving in college football. His energy is contagious, and players gravitate toward him. And why chase pressure when he’s already making a name for himself doing what he loves best?