Report: Deion Sanders, Cowboys Not Expected to Hold Formal Interview amid Rumors

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday that the Cowboys and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders aren't expected to hold a formal interview, though team owner Jerry Jones and Coach Prime had talked regarding the Cowboys' head-coaching vacancy.

"Nothing scheduled yet with Coach Prime," Rapoport said. "I'd be surprised, probably very surprised, if something did in fact get scheduled."

On Saturday, NFL reporter Josina Anderson provided one reason why a formal interview may not be the route the Cowboys and Sanders go for the time being, even if there remains mutual interest:

It is very possible that Sanders is simply leveraging Colorado for a significant pay raise, a time-honored tradition among college coaches. And there has been reporting that Colorado has already offered Sanders an extension, though Coach Prime may be seeking an even more lucrative offer and using the reported interest from Dallas to help get it.

As for the Cowboys, the team has already interviewed former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, while they are also expected to interview Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier on Monday.

The team parted ways with Mike McCarthy this offseason after a disappointing 7-10 record. In McCarthy's five seasons the team reached the playoffs three times but won just one postseason game.

In some respects, the Dallas opening is an appealing one for prospective head coaches. The team is one of the NFL's most famous franchises and currently sports a number of talented players, led by Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons.

But the team is also something of a circus under the ownership of Jones, who also insists on a hands-on approach as the team's general manager, which has caused friction with head coaches in the past. And the roster, while top heavy with star power, has serious holes throughout that were exposed in 2024.

Would someone like Sanders want to take that all on? That remains to be seen. For now, however, it seems like a return to Colorado is more likely.