What Dallas Cowboys' Jerry Jones, Emmitt Smith Said About Deion Sanders In Netflix Doc

Netflix is putting “Prime Time” back under the brightest lights. The streaming giant’s new series, The Gamble and His Cowboys, revisits the dynasty years of the Dallas Cowboys while spotlighting one of the NFL’s most electric personalities: Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders.

Oct 26, 1997; Philadelphia, PA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Dallas Cowboys defensive back Deion Sanders (21) walks off the field during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Veterans Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Lou Capozzola-USA TODAY NETWORK | Lou Capozzola-Imagn Images

The eight-part series dives into America's football team, the 1990s Dallas Cowboys, a team as famous for its championships as its larger-than-life characters. Yet even in a star-studded locker room, Sanders commanded the screen. An entire episode is dedicated to him, simply titled Prime Time.

For Buffs fans, it’s another reminder that the man leading their program isn’t just a college football coach. He’s a Hall of Famer who once redefined what it meant to play the cornerback position.

The Cowboys’ Dynasty and Sanders’ Arrival

Nov 2 1997; San Francisco, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Dallas Cowboys cornerback #21 Deion Sanders during a games against the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park. The Cowboys defeated the 49ers 17-10. Mandatory Credit: Photo By Imagn Images (c) Copyright Imagn Images | RVR Photos-Imagn Images

The Gamble and His Cowboys traces the rise of Jerry Jones’ bold ownership and the championship run fueled by legends like quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith, and wide receiver Michael Irvin. But when Sanders arrived in Dallas in 1995, the Cowboys reached another level. His speed, swagger, and versatility made him the ultimate weapon on both sides of the ball.

Jones, the Cowboys’ iconic owner, recalled just how disruptive Sanders could be.

“Deion was an impact player. He could score from punt return, and kick-off returns. He could score as a receiver," Jones said. "Frankly, he created such an imbalance on defense because teams would go away from him.”

That imbalance helped deliver the Cowboys' third Super Bowl title in four years. For Jones, it was proof that Sanders was worth every bit of the blockbuster contract the Cowboys had gambled on.

A Student of the Game

Dec 14, 1997; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith (22) on the sidelines with Deion Sanders (right) against the Cincinnati Bengals at Riverfront Stadium. The Bengals beat the Cowboys 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Sanders’ athletic gifts have always been undeniable, but one of his teammates insists his preparation was what truly separated him.

Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, offered rare insight into Sanders’ mind.

“What made him so good? His athletic ability? No,” Smith said matter-of-factly. “He was a student of the game. He knew splits. He knew formations. He knew concepts, and he knew them well.”

"I run like a Lamborghini.”

Deion Sanders in America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys. pic.twitter.com/u35Tn6BYV6
— Netflix (@netflix) August 19, 2025

That obsessive attention to detail, paired with world-class athleticism, made Sanders nearly untouchable. Quarterbacks avoided him, receivers dreaded him, but fans couldn’t take their eyes off him.

Sanders himself might have put it best.

“The way I changed the game is, you were concerned about me, I wasn't concerned about you. Because I run like a Lamborghini," Sanders said, oozing with charisma and confidence. "I put pressure on people, pressure ain't on me, pressure is on them because you prepared and you studied.”

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From Cowboys to Colorado

Apr 4, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders watches as his players go through drills at the University of Colorado NFL Showcase at the CU Indoor Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Images | Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Images

For Buffaloes fans, the series offers more than nostalgia. It underscores the pedigree of the man guiding Colorado football through its own high-profile experiment.

In Boulder, Sanders is using the same traits that defined his playing career in the NFL — using preparation, charisma, and star power to rebuild a program under the national microscope.

Just as he once forced NFL teams to game-plan around him, Sanders has forced the college football world to shift and adjust to keep up.

Still Prime Time

Nov 30, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders (right) talks with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Now, decades after dazzling the NFL and lifting the Cowboys to Super Bowl glory, Sanders finds himself leading a different kind of gamble in Boulder.

Much like Jerry Jones reshaped the NFL with bold moves and a larger-than-life vision, Sanders is attempting to do the same in college football.

With his own Netflix series set for release in 2026, Sanders continues to follow in the footsteps Jones while expanding the “Prime Time” brand, showing that his impact on and off the field is far from finished.