Shilo Deion Shedeur Sanders e1737129875608 Dallas CowboysAndrew Wevers/Getty Images

Welcome to the divisional round of the 2024 NFL playoffs. While the Kansas City Chiefs will begin their quest to become the first team ever to win three straight Super Bowls, we’re talking about the next head coach of the Cowboys. In Dallas this week, the safe choice for Jerry Jones seems to be Kellen Moore, also known as Jason Garrett 2.0. Deion Sanders, on the other hand, is a Primetime publicity jackpot.

“It would break the Internet and the NFL,” said NFL insider Dianna Russini Friday on the Scoop City podcast.

“It’s so interesting how some are like, ‘Oh definitely; Jerry’s going to make this happen. This is fireworks, this is what he’s in for, this is great business.’ And then there’s this other world that’s like, ‘That is the most fraudulent story that’s going on right now.’ There’s leverage at play here, there’s contract situations at Colorado. It’s just funny, everybody has their theories of what this is, and I think deep down, really deep down, people are like, ‘Wait, could this happen?’ If you start going through it, that maybe it could work.”

FOX college football insider Bruce Feldman provided important context on what could be Sanders’ final month at Colorado. Before the Buffs beat Oklahoma State in CU’s Senior Day home finale, Sanders was not only the person who walked his two biological sons, Shedeur and Shilo, onto the field in pregame ceremonies, he also served as the surrogate father for Jimmy Horn Jr. And, Sanders has been more than just a coach to Heisman winner Travis Hunter since their days at Jackson State, as well as safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, who’s likely to begin his NFL career as a non-drafted free agent this spring.

“One of their best players is Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig,” Feldman said. “He’s a safety … he probably will be a free agent. He’s not the biggest guy, but he was kind of the heart and soul of that team. He was a guy who didn’t just play for Deion at Jackson State. He played for them in high school, too. There’s a bunch of guys who have those relationships with them, and they’re done at this team.

“Now, there’s other guys who have committed to play there, and there’s also a whole lot of guys who are on staff, who probably wouldn’t be in Boulder, Colo., if not for Deion. I don’t know how many of those guys are going to work out in the NFL if he could bring them all with him.”

If indeed the Sanders-to-Dallas rumblings are fraudulent, Moore’s connection to the franchise is authentic. The Eagles’ offensive coordinator has reportedly scheduled a virtual interview for Friday, two days before Philadelphia hosts the L.A. Rams in a divisional playoff game. The other side of the monitor will feature familiar faces for Moore, who spent eight consecutive seasons in Dallas from 2015-22. Russini said Moore makes the most sense because he not only understands the unique intricacies of the Cowboys; he also has the personality and background most similar to Garrett.

“It takes a certain type of personality,” Russini said. “When we discussed this coaching cycle, and we talked about some of the lead candidates and the type of personalities that some of these organizations are looking for, it’s very different than what I believe could work in Dallas. Those very bold, outspoken, strong-willed type coaches, I don’t necessarily think are the best fit to work with Jerry Jones. Does that mean that’s the best for their football product? That’s debatable, but I think Dallas loses out sometimes on some of the great coaches because of that personality factor.”

Sanders is the personality the Cowboys could hire should they choose, according to insider Ed Werder. If that happens, the Cowboys would have a Hall of Fame owner, general manager and head coach. Dallas also has reportedly scheduled interviews this weekend with former Jets head coach Robert Saleh and former Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier.

For more information on the Cowboys and the NFL hiring cycle, visit the Dallas teampage and Coach/GM Carousel page at ProFootballPost.com.


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By Zak Gilbert

Since his freshman year at the University of Colorado, Zak Gilbert has worked 30 years in sports, including 18 NFL seasons. He's spent time with four NFL teams, serving as head of communications for both the Raiders and Browns. A veteran of nine Super Bowls, he most recently worked six seasons in the NFL's New York league office.

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