The NFL coaching fraternity is stronger than ever as coaches seem to rotate from job to job more freely these days.
That fraternity spills over into the collegiate ranks as well, which is a training ground for many of today’s top pro coaches.
Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, the incoming head coach at the University of Colorado, doesn’t need to introduce himself while recruiting and he has already landed some of the nation’s top high school players.
“It’s not supposed to look this easy,” former CU star Kordell Stewart said. “In three months, he’s accomplished a lot. This is just the beginning, and I’m excited.”
Sanders has the respect of the pro coaches as well, including New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll.
At the NFL Honors ceremony during Super Bowl week, Sanders presented the AP Coach of the Year award to the New York Giants’ Brian Daboll while wearing a black suit and a gold pocket square, CU colors. As Sanders exited the stage, Daboll told him about a player he should consider at Colorado. Sanders immediately got Daboll on the phone with his chief of recruiting.
“That doesn’t just mean that he respects me, and he would love for this kid to play for me,” Sanders said. “You know how much noise we’ve got to be making right now, for that gentleman, as we’re walking off the stage, saying, ‘I’ve got a dawg for you.’
“I said, ‘I ain’t hard to find, Coach.'”
Sanders had elevated his status as a coach quickly and one wonders when the NFL will be calling ‘Coach Prime.’