If Rob Gronkowski is talking, the football world listens (for the most part), mostly because it’s either brilliant or insanely ludicrous. The FOX host this time took on the flurry of reports that Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders might give up Boulder’s Rocky Mountain heat for Jerry Jones’ Dallas Cowboys stakes drama. Tip of the tale: Gronk isn’t on board.

“He’d be a great fit but I think he likes being in the college space, the college universe,” Gronk said. (Simply put: Sanders made the Buffs the *it* team in college football.) Let’s face it, fixing a program is one thing, but what about the Cowboys QB roller coaster and playoff exits? Nobody wants that burden.

And now the Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he’s off to find a new captain of the ship after firing Mike McCarthy. ‘He’s even mentioned looking at Jets coach Robert Saleh,’ according to reports. And as good as Saleh is on the defensive side, would he want to skip from Zach Wilson’s QB troubles to Dak Prescott’s playoff problems? Not exactly an upgrade=Coach Prime, however, has his hands full constructing college stars and hurling memorable quips. He’s committed to Colorado and isn’t in a hurry to go into the NFL’s shark tank. “I think Colorado is going to give a big bump in pay as well” With a sizable buyout clause, Sanders isn’t just not on track to be drafted there; he isn’t even realistic.

But that’s OK Cowboys Nation, for now, to keep fantasizing about a Prime Time reunion, and Gronk’s right: Sanders will send the Buffs to a bowl game more than he’ll send the Cowboys to a Super Bowl. As for Jones, maybe we have to go deeper than big names and into the playbook.

Why Jerry Jones is eyeing Robert Saleh: A match made in the Cowboys’ heaven?

The man who can call the play, if Jerry Jones starts sniffing around at possible head coaches, isn’t the man who could get the Cowboys back to Super Bowl glory. Enter Robert Saleh. This head coach of the New York Jets is one of the most recognizable figures to Jones’s eye right now, and for good reason. Saleh is a defensive genius and has built the Jet’s defense into one of the best in the league, just what the Cowboys desperately need to survive the playoffs for the last time. Saleh has a 20-36 career record as a Jets head coach, so defensively, he is one of the most gifted players in the NFL. And before he played for the Jets, his time as the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator who carried them to Super Bowl LIV, showed that he can do the dirty work when the stakes are high. That resume is what Jones liked — and could be the one that leads Dallas to the next level.

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But let’s face it: Robert Saleh is not the only head coach Jerry is purportedly after. This is Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders who’s had a heyday since taking over the Colorado Buffaloes. Sanders brought Jackson State two consecutive SWAC championships, then transferred to Colorado and took over the program in short order – 9-4 his first year. He’s a very popular candidate for any NFL team due to his charisma and Hall of Fame career, and his “Prime Time” appeal would be on board with the Cowboy’s oversized persona. Sanders’ college influence is hard to argue with, but his professional track record could give people pause. But can Coach Prime compete with the NFL grind, with all the expectations and pressure, a different beast?

Let’s talk stats. Robert Saleh’s defense philosophy makes him a good NFL head coach candidate. He is the guy who keeps the pressure on and the tricks and the better each year. The Jet’s defense was in the Top-10 in 2023, and Saleh’s philosophy of building from the bottom up has made his units climb in stature and credibility. While Deion’s is more about the recruiting, morale, and winning games on the college side of things, a different talent than the high stakes NFL. They’re both charismatic and driven coaches but Saleh has been a professional NFL player for some time, so maybe he’s on it.

Comparing the two coaches, Saleh’s training-room experience, his culture of winning in the NFL, and his command of the professional game are a great fit for the Cowboys. He may be the right man for Dallas with his combination of plan, leadership, and knowledge of the league. Sanders’ bold blitz and new perspective are the talk of the town, but Saleh has already proven he can handle the NFL spotlight. And the Cowboys are about to make a deep playoff run, and they want someone who can handle that pressure.

Why then, Saleh vs Sanders? Just let Jerry Jones know, that the NFL is not a flash in the pan, it’s a show. If Deion has the zing, Saleh has the bite, at least in terms of putting together a title-level defense. The Cowboys have a loaded offense but just need that defensive kick to make it happen, so Saleh might be the one who can finally put “America’s Team” back on top.