Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reveals what was said in Deion Sanders phone call

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirms he spoke with Deion Sanders over the phone, but he denied it had anything to do with the head coaching vacancy.
Jerry Jones said he spoke with Deion Sanders on the phone, but it wasn't about the Dallas Cowboys job.
Jerry Jones said he spoke with Deion Sanders on the phone, but it wasn't about the Dallas Cowboys job. / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones revealed that he did speak with Deion Sanders in a phone call this offseason, but that the conversation wasn’t about the team’s head coaching vacancy.

That marks a departure from previous speculation that emerged after this offseason’s most talked-about phone call, when it was believed that Jones may have considered Sanders to lead the Cowboys, and that Sanders may have been intrigued by the possibility.

But the Cowboys owner said the call was just about personal things. 

“Just a conversation about the team, and about where he is, and his boys, conversation with his boys, that type of conversation,” Jones said.

He added: “I’ve said I’ve talked to a lot of coaches, and Deion has a job.”

Jones’ comments came as he introduced Brian Schottenheimer as the Cowboys’ next head coach in an effort to apparently downplay any speculation that he was considering Sanders for the gig.

But that didn’t stop the rumor mill from going into overdrive about the prospect of Coach Prime possibly bolting Colorado and taking the top job with America’s Team.

There has always been plenty of speculation, albeit unfounded, that Sanders would entertain any reason to take another position, especially as his sons — quarterback Shedeur and defensive back Shilo — prepare to leave the program and turn pro.

And other reports seemed to indicate a reluctance on Colorado’s part to invest more money into its NIL program.

Those rumors emerged after it was revealed that Sanders met with CU athletic director Rick Georgia to ask for more NIL funding and increases to his coaching staff, a request that was “met with resistance,” according to NFL Network reporter Jane Slater.

Sanders has stated repeatedly that he intends to stay with the Colorado program and help build it back into a national contender.

So far, that project has gone well after he improved from his 4-8 debut in 2023 to a 9-4 effort in 2024 that saw the Buffaloes briefly in the Big 12 title picture late in the season.

Key to that effort was the play of eventual Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, the two-way player at defensive back and wide receiver.

While the idea of the Cowboys hiring Deion Sanders would have certainly shaken the coaching carousel right off its axis, it would have also required Jerry Jones to buy out Sanders’ contract at Colorado, an investment he was almost certainly unwilling to make.

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James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He previously covered football for 247Sports and CBS Interactive. College Football HQ joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022.