Deion Sanders comes up in HBCU coaching rumors

Deion Sanders just graduated from an HBCU in early August. Could the Pro Football Hall of Famer soon be coaching at one?

Reports are circulating that Sanders might or already has met with Jackson State about its recent coaching vacancy. Jackson State departed ways with head coach John Hendrick on Monday morning. 

WLBT’s Trey Mongrue is reporting that Sanders met with officials when his high school team, Trinity Christian, played in Mississippi. According to Mongrue, however, Sanders is not a candidate for the Tigers head coaching position.

A source within the university refutes that claim, however. According to the source, there was no meeting with Sanders and JSU, and any contact would have been co-incidental.

Sanders just graduated from Talladega College earlier in August. He’s currently the offensive coordinator at Trinity in Texas, but told Dan Patrick he’s going to be a college coach soon.

“I’m going to be a head coach in college football next year,” he said at the Super Bowl in January. “I’m that definite. I’m that assured that I am.”

“This is something that is my calling,” he said later in the interview. “I’m going to coach college football. Head coach, not coach. Head coach.”

Sanders recently made waves on Twitter with his comments about players deciding to sit out football as the COVID-19 pandemic plays itself out. He followed that up with an announcement that he was joining Barstool sports after leaving the NFL Network. According to the New York Post, the position at the controversial sports outlet won’t stop his coaching dreams.

Given Sanders’ desire to be a head coach, his recent graduation at Talladega and his involvement with the HBCU NFL combine, it’s not a stretch to say we could see Deion Sanders on an HBCU sideline.

Now we know from the past that NFL experience does not make a successful head football coach. But Sanders’ star power speaks for itself, even more than 15 years he stepped off the football field. If Sanders, who now has his degree from an HBCU, wants to be an HBCU coach, he’ll likely get a chance.