Troy Aikman Optimistic the Cowboys Could Poach Deion Sanders from Colorado

Deion Sanders leaving Colorado for a more promising head-coaching job is one of the storylines of the college football season that just won’t go away. After a 4-8 first season, Sanders led the Buffaloes to a 9-3 record this year and an Alamo Bowl matchup against No. 17 BYU on Dec. 28, and he helped coach star player Travis Hunter to a Heisman Trophy win on Saturday.

Sanders’ success has caught the attention of many, and he’s been linked to several head-coaching jobs in both college and the NFL.

But despite being arguably the hottest commodity during the coaching cycle, Sanders is adamant on staying put. “I’m happy where I am, man,” Sanders told reporters last month. “I’ve got a kickstand down.

You know what a kickstand is? … That means I’m resting. I’m good, I’m happy, I’m excited. I’m enthusiastic about where I am.

I love it here, truly do.” Even though Sanders has stated he won’t leave Colorado, those that know him still aren’t convinced that’s true. Count former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, who was Sanders’ teammate from 1996 to 1999, among them. During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Aikman stated he believes there’s still a path for the Cowboys to persuade Sanders to leave CU should their head-coaching job open up.

“I do know that Jerry, he’s a world-class marketer,” Aikman said. “Deion is obviously not far behind that, and I think if you were to put the two together, it would be quite interesting. I think there’s some compelling reasons as to why Jerry might have an interest.

“But I do know that Deion’s done a great job there in Boulder, and when he says, ‘Hey, I’ve put the kickstand down,’ that’s simply alerting everyone that if you want him, you’re going to have to pay for it, which is not a surprise either.

I do think that Deion could be enticed, especially with his son moving on and going to the NFL. [Kickstands] are not welded to the ground; you can raise them.” In four-plus seasons with the Cowboys, Mike McCarthy is 48-33 with three playoff appearances.

Dallas has struggled this season, however, as the team is just 6-8 and will likely miss the playoffs for the first time since 2020.

Conversely, Colorado athletic director Rick George recently told a local reporter his goal is to keep Sanders in Boulder for as along as possible.