One coach many in the world of college sports have been watching this offseason in the coaching carousel has been Colorado’s Deion Sanders.
Sanders, despite having announced his commitment to Colorado multiple times, has been officially linked to the Las Vegas Raiders job and has a strong interest in the vacancy.
The news was first reported by Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, who noted that Sanders “has a very strong interest in the job.” He also mentioned that Coach Prime had individuals with NFL ties reach out to the Raiders to express his interest in the gig.
The opening in Las Vegas comes after the team decided to move on from Antonio Pierce, who earned the job after serving as interim head coach in 2023. He led the team to a 5-4 record to close out the 2023 season in relief of Josh McDaniels before a 4-13 record in 2024, which resulted in his firing.
After leading Colorado to a 9-4 finish in his second season with the program, Deion Sanders emerged as a serious candidate for most major coaching vacancies. His role in developing Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter has gone a long way in the eyes of national media members, and with the Raiders owning the No. 6 pick in the upcoming draft, many have speculated about the idea of Coach Prime making the jump to the big league.
Sanders had made it clear that his intention was to stay at Colorado in previous interviews, but when asked on Good Morning America this week, the Buffaloes head coach added a new clause.
“The only way I would consider is to coach my sons,” Sanders said. “Not son. Sons.”
While Sanders has expressed interest in the opening, the Raiders have not yet set up an interview with the Big 12 coach. According to reports, Las Vegas has conducted formal interviews with both coordinators for the Lions, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, as well as Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
Related: Deion Sanders is Right Back to the Big 12 After Arizona State Loss
