Last year, Deion Sanders helped make Colorado football one of the top stories in the world of sports. The NFL Hall of Famer helped turn the program around at the start of the 2023 season, but then had a difficult end to the season.
To help the Buffaloes achieve their first winning record since 2016, Sanders is adding another Hall of Famer to his coaching staff. As shown in an April 1 video posted on the Well Off Media YouTube channel, former Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Warren Sapp is joining the team as a Senior Quality Control Analyst.
As a player, Sapp was one of the best. He made it to the Pro Bowl seven times and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. He ended his career with 96.5 sacks and earned the Defensive Player of the Year award in 1999.
Even though he was dominant on the field, Sapp has no coaching experience. As a Senior Quality Control Analyst, he won't have much input in game planning or other important decisions. This is a way for him to start coaching and see if it's something he wants to pursue.
Warren Sapp Speaks to Team
Warren Sapp has been away from football for over ten years, so many of the younger Colorado players may not know much about him. However, he is a charismatic figure who quickly introduced himself to the team.
“Senior quality control analyst, it’s a mouthful, and you’ll hear me before you see me most of the time,” Sapp told the team. “But what we gonna do is, big fellas – stance, alignment and assignment. … We’re gonna pour concrete because you know I like nice stuff. And we’re building mansions here, so that’s why I’m here – to help you build your mansion.”
Colorado now has two of the biggest personalities from the NFL on their coaching staff. It's not clear if that will lead to disaster or success. Deion Sanders is clearly open to having a player-run program.
Colorado Comments on Warren Sapp’s History
Warren Sapp comes to Colorado with some issues in his past. He was challenging as a player and famously declared he was retiring in 2008 with a simple message saying, “I’M DONE!” He also had a couple of run-ins with the law but never had to go to prison.
While there were some concerns about Colorado hiring him, the university stated that they thoroughly checked his background before hiring him.
“Warren Sapp successfully completed all of the necessary steps required of anyone who is employed at CU Boulder, including a background check,” a statement that USA TODAY obtained from Colorado said, “Athletic Director Rick George personally met with Warren to clearly articulate the department’s standards and expectations, to which he acknowledged and agreed.”
It will take time to see if Deion Sanders' plans in Colorado will be successful. There is a chance that it could become a volatile situation. However, Sanders has shown that he can lead these young players, but the 2024 season will be a big test.
