Deion Sanders is the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, and he has done an excellent job of turning the program around since arriving two years ago. After a weak first season, the Buffaloes had their first winning season in years in Coach Prime’s second season as head coach. Before the season, he hired former NFL player Warren Sapp as a senior quality control analyst.
Sapp reflected on this opportunity and his relationship with Coach Prime.
Warren Sapp Speaks on Getting Hired by Deion Sanders, Colorado Buffaloes
Amazon Prime has an ongoing documentary series running called “Coach Prime.” The series started running in 2022, during Sanders’ third and final season at Jackson State. It has followed him every season since. The third season was released on Jan. 6, with five episodes on the 2024 Colorado Buffaloes season.
In an episode, Sanders spoke about why he hired former NFL player Sapp before the start of the season. A clip of the video was posted on X (formerly Twitter) by a Buffaloes content creator.
“I brought him into the house because I knew what he had inside of him because I’ve known him since he was in college.
Sapp then spoke about what it meant for Sanders to believe in him when no one else did.
“For him to reach for me when nobody else was even looking my way. He told me I got a spot for you brother. I need you.”
🔥 A Special Connection. Brotherhood. Coach Prime & Coach Sapp
"I brought him into the house because I knew what he had inside of him. For him to reach for me when nobody else was even looking my way. He told me I got a spot for you brother. I need you"
📽️ @PrimeVideo pic.twitter.com/HpInV92i6U
— JaKi 🇺🇸 (@JaKiTruth) January 12, 2025
Coach Prime then talked about how much the Colorado players love Sapp and mentioned that they respect him for his work ethic and knowledge.
“These young men adore him. What he’s seen, what he’s accomplished in the NFL when he played. First, he gets in their mind by his gold jacket [Pro Football Hall of Fame career], but he stays in there by his work ethic, by his knowledge, and by his wisdom.”
Sapp had a highly successful NFL career after being drafted 12th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1995 to 2003, winning a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in 2003.
Sapp then finished his career with the Oakland Raiders, playing for the team from 2004 to 2007. During his career, Sapp was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1999, a first-team All-Pro selection four times from 1999 to 2002, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013. It is no surprise to see someone with Sapp’s accolades hired by Sanders.