The Dallas Cowboys are in the midst of a head coaching search, and there is one name that seems to be at or near the top of everyone's list.
Deion Sanders.
And according to FOX Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz during a conversation with 105.3 The Fan's GBag Nation, the smoke around the Sanders to the Cowboys rumors are in fact very real.
"I think it's very real," Schultz said. "Jerry Jones was having internal conversations inside the building about where do we want we want to go next if we obviously don't extend Mike (McCarthy)... and Deion's name has come up not only because of how good of a job he's done at Colorado, but I think the relationship that he has maintained with Jerry over the last three decades is pretty significant. To that point, Deion has said publicly that he does not want to make the jump to the pros. But when Jerry Jones calls, and its the Dallas Cowboys and its the gravitas of the organization, that very few if any else have, it was just a call that he had to take. It has remained very clear to me that Deion will be one of the top candidates."
This comes just 24 hours after Schultz reported that Jones had spoken with Sanders about taking over the position on Monday.
Sanders, of course, is one of the greatest players in Cowboys history, making a hall of fame career for himself during his five seasons in Dallas, as well as his eight years spent with the Falcons, 49ers and Washington Redskins. During that time, he helped the Cowboys win a Super Bowls in the 1995-96 season.
Following his playing career, Sanders eventually got into coaching, landing his first job at Prime Prep Academy in Dallas. He then became a coach for Triple A Academy of Texas, before serving as the offensive coordinator for Trinity Christian High School, where he coached his sons Shiloh and Shedeur.
Then, Sanders coaching career took off.
In 2020 he was named the head coach at Jackson State, where he led two conference titles and was named the back-to-back SWAC Coach of the Year in 2021 and 2022. He also won the Eddie Robinson Award in 2021, which is given to the nation's top head coach.
In 2023, Sanders accepted the job with the Colorado Buffaloes, where he rebuilt arguably the worst Power 5 program in the country into a bowl team and College Football Playoff contender in just two years with the help of his son Shedeur, and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.
And if the Cowboys do end up going in the direction of Sanders, they will hope that he can do much of the same, and rebuild a team that has not been to a Super Bowl or NFC Championship game in 30 years.