Deion Sanders explains why he will never coach in the NFL

Deion Sanders has been making headlines ever since he took over the head-coaching job at the University of Colorado, continuing a rapid climb up the coaching ranks in the NCAA.

Do not expect that climb to take him to the NFL.

Ever. 

Sanders told Sports Illustrated's Mike Fisher this week that he has zero interest in ever coaching in the NFL because he has, in his words, too many old-school techniques and philosophies that will not work in the NFL. 

"I have a problem with men getting their checks and not doing their jobs. I would be too tough as a coach in the NFL because I still have those old-school attributes."

He also went on to say that he has no plans of ever being an assistant at any level. 

"I don't settle for mediocrity whatsoever," said Sanders. "You are going to do it this way, we are going to work our butts off, we are going to be a team. The only thing that is individual about you is the way you play."

Sanders, a Hall of Fame player, began his head-coaching career at Jackson State in 2020. During his three years in charge of the program he built it into an FCS powerhouse and compiled a 27-6 record. That resulted in him taking the Colorado job for this season, and he has made significant waves since doing so. He has cleaned house in trying to improve a one-win team from a year ago, utilizing the transfer portal to bring in his own roster. It is a strategy that has not always been well-received by other coaches. 

Sanders is likely right about one thing here, in that his style would probably not work in the NFL. Highly paid professional athletes who are grown men are not going to respond well to the control and style that college coaches like to employ. It is a big reason why college coaches tend to have such a tough adjustment period in trying to make it in the NFL.

It is also presumptuous to even have that discussion given how small Sanders' head-coaching resume actually is. He has coached only three seasons at the FCS level (and one of those was a shortened season) and has yet to try his craft at the highest level of college football. His time at Colorado in a Power Five conference will tell us a lot about whether or not it will work out.