The Cowboys did not have the best 2024 NFL season, as they ended the season 7-10, losing their final 2 regular season games. The result of this was the sacking of HC Mike McCarthy. Ever since then, everyone has been wondering who Jones will hire as the Cowboys’ new HC. There have been quite a few names linked with the team, but the one that has excited fans the most is Deion Sanders.

“Coach Prime,” is currently the HC at the University of Colorado and if reports are true, he could be interested in heading to the Cowboys for the 2025 season. Jones has already reached out to Sanders, according to a report from Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz. The talks between Sanders and Jones will continue into the immediate short-term future, according to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter.

Schefter reiterated the Cowboys’ interest in Sanders, and vice versa, in comments made during halftime of Monday’s NFL Wild Card playoff game, saying, “There is a real possibility,” that Sanders could emerge as the next head coach of the Cowboys. The most interesting twist in this is probably Deion Sanders’ take. While he has repeatedly made it clear that he is happy with the Buffs, this time he has publicly said that he was ‘intrigued’ by the Cowboys offer.

Speaking to ESPN about the same, Sanders said, “To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and it’s intriguing. I love Jerry and believe in Jerry. After you hang up, and process it, and think about it, it’s intriguing. But I love Boulder and everything there is about our team, the coaches, our student body and the community.” There is a big condition though that Sanders has about coming back to the NFL. He has clearly mentioned, “The only way I would consider it is to coach my sons.” So that means, Shedeur has to in the Cowboys as well for Deion to coach there. This is where things seem a bit impossible.

The reason is simple. Though the Cowboys have their coaching position open, they are not hugely in need of a QB. Dak Prescott may not be in that elite tier with Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow, he’s a proven star in that position. And although the 2023 MVP runner-up turns 32 this offseason, he’s still squarely in his prime. Most importantly, we have his contract on the way. He’s got three years left on a four-year, $240 million dollar contract signed this past offseason. To top it off, as ESPN’s Bill Barnwell pointed out, Prescott carries a $104.1 million dollar dead cap hit if the Cowboys trade him before June 1 next season.

Well, that’s nearly double the NFL record for most dead money allocated for a single player in a single year, set just this past season by the Broncos who incurred $53 million of dead money to offload Russell Wilson. Moreover, the Cowboys would have to pay a reported $8 million buyout. And Jerry Jones doesn’t seem to be too keen on paying buyouts. Despite that, speculations are running riot.

Recently FanDuel Sportsbook shared an interesting ‘What If’ scenario on X. “IMAGINE, Deion Sanders becomes the Cowboys head coach, trades Dak to the Titans for the No.1 overall pick, and drafts Shedeur Sanders,” they wrote. Interestingly, Sportrac was quick to point out the cap situation to counter the idea. But do the Cowboys really move to trade Prescott?

The point is, that successful NFL quarterbacks in the heart of their prime usually don’t get traded too often. Matthew Stafford is an instance. But his blockbuster trade from the Lions to the Rams was the Lions fully resetting (one that paid off) and the Rams going all-in for a Super Bowl (which they did). Prescott’s swap to the Titans would be much different.

It would involve a Tennessee team that doesn’t look to be in a position to win immediately and then will be tasked with re-signing Prescott to a mega-deal in three years. On the other hand, the Cowboys, who have the pieces to win, when healthy, would have to give the keys to a rookie quarterback and a rookie NFL coach.

The Packers traded Aaron Rodgers a couple years ago, though that was mostly Rodgers’ frustration spilling over, and Green Bay deciding to develop Jordan Love. The deal hasn’t really worked out for the Jets, and Love’s tenure has been inconsistent, so far. If go back further, after the 2011 season, the Indianapolis Colts decided to move on from Peyton Manning, who then signed as a free agent with the Denver Broncos. But Manning was dealing with a serious injury, and the Colts had the option to pick Andrew Luck with the first overall pick.

Maybe the Cowboys might think along the same line. Move on from an older star and take a direct path to drafting the top overall pick. But Luck was considered a much better prospect than Shedeur Sanders; in fact, he was as highly touted as any prospect ever. That doesn’t mean that Shedeur won’t be a good NFL quarterback. However, Doug Gottlieb does not see that as a possibility at all.

“Just a guess, it’s one of those courtesy calls where you flesh out ideas and flesh out thoughts knowing at the end of the call it’s not really going to work. Would it be interesting? Sure! Do I think Deion could do it? Yeah, of course…The problem is there’s just no way in which you coach your son. I don’t think you can coach your son even if Dak Prescott doesn’t exist, and with Dak Prescott there it just doesn’t happen,” Gottlieb commented. But doesn’t Deion Sanders look in two minds?

Will Deion Sanders come back to the NFL?

Sanders has clearly said that he will come to the NFL only if he can coach his sons. And not just one ‘son’ mind you, ‘sons’ he specified. That means that first Shedeur and Shilo will need to end up on the same team and then one will have to see whether that team requires an HC or not. Complicated right?

While the idea of the 3 Sanders being on the same team is great, it is highly unlikely that will happen. Shedeur is bound to be one of the top players in the draft and will probably be picked up by teams having the first few picks. And unfortunately, none of those teams are actively looking for an HC. There are plenty of ‘ifs and buts’ when it comes to all the Sanders joining the same team, and it seems highly unlikely that something like this will materialize.

“Coach Prime” himself is enjoying his time with the Buffaloes and is not eager to leave the team. Talking about this he said, “I love Colorado. Now, I love my Buffaloes. I love everything that we’re building, I love everything that we’re doing and I love Boulder, Colorado. I do.”

Sanders coming back to the Cowboys would have been incredible, but it is clear that ‘Coach Prime’ is not interested in leaving College Football. The only scenario in which Sanders will look to join the NFL, well, to be honest, is something that doesn’t seem like a reality at this point. At the end of the day though, it’s the Sanders and if we ever expect to see something like this in the NFL, it’s gotta be with them. So fingers crossed!!