Jerry Jones recalls "love affair" with Deion Sanders; could Prime Time be the future Cowboys coach?
Some of Deion Sanders' most impactful years in the NFL were spent in Dallas. During four seasons with the Cowboys, Prime earned three First Team All-Pro and four Pro-Bowl selections. He also won one Super Bowl with them in his first season on the team.
All of that, paired with a persona that worked pretty well with America's Team during the 1990s, led to a great relationship with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
Turn to the present day, and with coach Mike McCarthy's contract about to expire after this season, there have been some questions about his future with the Cowboys. Despite three straight winning seasons, McCarthy hasn't been able to lead them past the NFC Divisional Round. One of the names arising as a potential replacement is that of Deion Sanders.
In an interview this week, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith asked Jerry Jones about the possibility of Sanders becoming Cowboys coach:
“No, but he does know how to spell well enough and not answer a hypothetical question,” Jones said. “First of all, you are familiar with our … ‘love affair’ that we have. I have always admired him, both on and off the field. Some of the best stories that I have to tell about my time in sports have been Deion-type stories with Deion and Michael [Irvin] and those guys." (Timestamp: 1:06:30)
Jones made it clear how highly he regards Sanders. Whether or not that translates into having enough confidence in him to lead the Cowboys remains to be seen.
Is Deion Sanders the right fit for Jerry Jones' Dallas Cowboys?
This question can be answered on two levels: business-wise and sporting-wise. Despite their lack of sporting success in the 21st century, the Cowboys have become the most successful brand in football, which has translated into business success.
Say what you will about Jerry Jones, but he's a businessman first and foremost. The Cowboys have consistently ranked as the most valuable sports franchise in sports worldwide for over a decade. Currently, they are valued at $10 billion, and to think Jones bought them for $150 million.
In the business sense, Deion Sanders would be a match made in heaven for the Cowboys. The most marketed brand in sports paired with the most celebrity-like coach in football.
However, there's another aspect in this — a rather more important one, if you will — which is winning football games. Sporting-wise, Sanders hasn't proved his mettle as a Div-I Power Four coach. Coach Prime has one 4-8 Div-I season on his record — to say he's not yet ready for the NFL would be an understatement.
Some years down the road, who knows? What we do know is that America is not ready for such a media matchup.