DENVER — Deion Sanders didn’t hold back during a recent episode of his television show, “We Got Time Today,” available on Tubi, where he shared his thoughts on coaching in the professional league. While speaking with Troy Aikman, his former teammate from the Dallas Cowboys and a fellow Hall of Famer, Sanders emphasized his struggles with the current coaching methods in the NFL, declaring, “I couldn’t coach pro ball.”
During their conversation, the two reminisced about their Super Bowl experiences and touched on Sanders’ discussions with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones regarding the team’s head coaching position, which ultimately led to Brian Schottenheimer being hired.
Sanders articulated his perspective on the evolution of practice routines, contrasting them with those from Aikman’s playing days. He fondly recalled how Aikman was determined never to let a ball fall to the ground, Sanders was equally driven not to give up a catch, Michael Irvin had strict expectations about maintaining precise ball control, and Emmitt Smith pushed himself to complete more than just the average play. “That’s how we practiced,” Sanders reflected, before adding, “It’s cute now, but as a man and a football enthusiast, I couldn’t tolerate the current state of practices. I care about the game, and there’s no way I’d allow such practices while I was in charge. That would be a struggle.”
Aikman concurred with Sanders’ assessment, suggesting that Sanders would be a great fit if he were leading the Cowboys. “I was often asked how I thought Deion would fare, and I said he would excel,” Aikman recalled. He acknowledged that Deion is among a select few individuals he would never bet against, citing Sanders’ proven track record at every level of his career during their discussion. Aikman expressed that while Sanders’ impact might be more significant at the college level, he believed in Sanders’ capabilities at all levels of football.
He noted that positively influencing young men is more pronounced in college, but dismissed any notion that Sanders wouldn’t succeed in the NFL. “People often overlook Deion’s journey,” Aikman pointed out, recalling their Super Bowl win together in the 1995 season. “For Dallas, he would have been an excellent fit. His commanding presence would make it clear that he was in charge, an essential trait for any head coach.”
As Sanders gears up for another season with the Colorado Buffaloes after a successful 9-4 campaign that included an appearance in the Alamo Bowl, he faces challenges with the departure of talent like Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, both anticipated to be high draft picks in the upcoming NFL draft.
