A major development has transpired in the Dallas Cowboys' search for a head coach.
After the Cowboys parted ways with Mike McCarthy earlier on Monday, team owner Jerry Jones discussed the opening with Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, multiple reports said later in the day.
FOX Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz first reported the news, with Sanders considered a "top candidate" and both parties having "mutual interest."
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Sources: #Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has spoken with Colorado HC Deion Sanders about the team’s head coaching vacancy, and discussions are expected to continue regarding the possibility of him becoming the next head coach in Dallas.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 14, 2025
Coach Prime is considered a top candidate,… pic.twitter.com/A0ltEMy0bg
ESPN's Adam Schefter also reported the two sides talked.
Sanders does not yet have a formal meeting scheduled to talk further, though talks are expected to continue, Schultz added. Jones and the Cowboys also want to interview more candidates throughout the process.
Sanders later responded to the report to Schefter.
“To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and it’s intriguing,” Sanders told ESPN. “I love Jerry and believe in Jerry. After you hang up, and process it, and think about it, it’s intriguing. But I love Boulder and everything there is about our team, the coaches, our student body and the community.”
The 57-year-old Sanders played for the Cowboys from 1995 to 1999, helping the team win the Super Bowl in his first year with the organization.
He started coaching in 2012 but didn't land a major head coach role until 2020 with Jackson State. He had three winning seasons (2020 was shortened due to COVID-19) before leaving to Colorado in 2022.
His first season with Colorado started big but eventually unraveled to a 4-8 record. But his second season as a Buffalo saw improvement, as the team went 9-4 but lost in the Alamo Bowl 36-14 to BYU.
Sanders' son, Shedeur, is among the best quarterback prospects in the 2025 draft. Dallas is slated to pick No. 12 overall, with Dak Prescott currently the QB1 after recently signing a lucrative extension.