Deion Sanders Plans Hiring of Dallas Cowboys Ex Coach

Colorado head coach and Dallas Cowboys legend Deion Sander is looking to add more NFL pedigree to his coaching staff.

At Big 12 media days, Sanders made known he wants former Tampa Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and longtime NFL head coach and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer to join his staff.

"Our coaching staff, this is without Byron Leftwich, which I'm praying that he does the right thing, and Mike Zimmer, we have 160 years of NFL experience," Sanders said. "With those two added, that's 204 years of NFL experience. And I want those years."

Leftwich was a first-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2003 and spent nearly a decade as an NFL quarterback. He later helped lead the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl LV victory while coaching Tom Brady.

Leftwich has a knack for producing high-quality quarterback play—having four successful seasons as offensive coordinator with the Buccaneers from 2019 to 2022. Leftwich orchestrated a top two passing offense each season and coached Brady to his first 5,000-yard season 40-touchdown campaign in more than a decade.

Leftwich would certainly help Colorado quarterbacks Kaidon Salter and Julian Lewis develop into elite quarterbacks.

Sanders and Zimmer already have a working relationship and bringing him aboard full time to help develop defensive schemes would do wonders for the program.

Zimmer - an accomplished NFL coach who last year was the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator - worked as a consultant for Sanders at both Jackson State and Colorado. Zimmer's nephew, Andrew Zimmer, is also already on the Colorado staff as a quality control analyst.

Leftwich and Zimmer could potentially join a staff that features Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk coaching running backs, Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp working as defensive pass rush coordinator, and former NFL head coach Pat Shurmur coordinating the offense.