Buccaneers Legend Parts Ways With Deion Sanders and Colorado Football

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have fielded a number of legendary players from their vaunted 2002 Super Bowl-winning defense, and a few of those players have continued to work in the game of football after their illustrious careers in Tampa Bay. Safety John Lynch is currently the general manager of the San Francisco 49ers, for example, and linebacker Derrick Brooks is currently the COO for the South Florida Bulls' athletics program.

Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp had a post-football career of his own going on in Colorado with the Buffaloes, joining up with Deion Sanders' staff in 2024. After just two years on staff, however, it looks like he'll be moving on to other opportunities, as Colorado beat writer Brian Howell reported on Thursday that Sapp has left the Buffaloes' staff.

Hall of Famer Warren Sapp is no longer with the Colorado Buffaloes, as he looks to pursue other opportunities #cubuffs https://t.co/EbtWPpOEL6
— Brian Howell (@BrianHowell33) February 26, 2026

Warren Sapp parts ways with Colorado football

Colorado Buffaloes defensive pass rush coordinator Warren Sapp plays catch on the sidelines prior to a game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Colorado Buffaloes | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Sapp joined Sanders in an assistant role in 2024, serving as the team's senior quality control analyst on defense. He got promoted in 2025, serving as the team's pass rush coordinator. Things didn't quite work out for the Buffaloes, though, as they finished the season just 3-9.

Sapp was a legendary player in Tampa Bay, earning a gold jacket after netting 108 solo tackles, 29 assists, 82.5 sacks, nine fumble recoveries and three interceptions in 149 games including the playoffs for the Bucs before finishing his career with the Oakland Raiders. That prowess earned him a spot on Sanders' coaching staff when he decided to get into coaching, but now, it seems as if he's looking for better opportunities to further his career.

Interestingly enough, he now has a link with an NFL team. The Denver Broncos hired Buffaloes defensive coordinator Robert Livingston to be their pass game coordinator in 2026, so there might be a chance that Sapp, who served as pass rush coordinator for Colorado last year, could attempt to follow him to the NFL. If not, there are plenty of opportunities he could look at in college, though some might question Colorado's sharp downturn in 2025 when it comes to evaluating his legacy.

The Bucs, meanwhile, are gearing up to try and find players with Sapp's famed tenacity and skill in the NFL Draft, and that process is ongoing at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this week.

Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2026 season.

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