Adam Schefter: ‘There’s mutual interest’ between Cowboys, Deion Sanders

Is Deion Sanders going to be the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys? During halftime of Monday night’s playoff game between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams, ESPN’s Adam Schefter talked about the possibility.

Before the game, Schefter reported that the Cowboys were interested in former tight end Jason Witten, as well as Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who previously held the same role in Dallas. His halftime report added Sanders — who played with the Cowboys for five years of his Hall of Fame career and has coached college football’s Colorado Buffaloes for the last two seasons.

“They have spoken with — amongst other candidates — Deion Sanders,” Schefter said. “There’s a mutual interest there. And I go back to about a year-and-a-half ago when I had a former general manager say to me, ‘Watch Deion Sanders. There’s a real possibility he may be the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.’ Well, there is mutual interest. We’ll see if that amps up. But the two sides have talked, they have touched base. And we’ll see if it goes anywhere.”

“Clearly Deion Sanders is somebody that Jerry Jones knows. There’s great respect and admiration between the two men. And we’ll see if those talks materialize into anything further.”

Adam Schefter on Deion Sanders being a candidate for the Dallas Cowboys head coaching job. pic.twitter.com/dYEnIHKcnt

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 14, 2025

After Schefter detailed that Dallas’ now-former coach, Mike McCarthy, will interview with the Chicago Bears, host Scott Van Pelt referenced comments made before the game by Troy Aikman. Aikman said, among other things, that the Cowboys were starting late, as they haven’t had the chance to interview top candidates like Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

“I think the interesting point that was made on Countdown was that four-day window they missed, to make this decision,” Van Pelt said. “That really puts them behind on their candidates that have interviewed with other teams. And now they’re playing catch-up, aren’t they?”

“Well, maybe,” Schefter replied. “If Deion Sanders is the guy that they wanted all along, it doesn’t matter that they haven’t spoken to Aaron Glenn or Ben Johnson or Matt Nagy or Steve Spagnuolo — the coordinators they can. But clearly Deion Sanders is somebody that Jerry Jones knows. There’s great respect and admiration between the two men. And we’ll see if those talks materialize into anything further.”