Deion Sanders says Warren Sapp to join coaching staff in 2024; Colorado has not confirmed

Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes have one more game left in the 2023 regular season, but they already will be adding another Hall of Famer to the coaching staff next year.

Pro Football Hall of Famer and 13-year NFL veteran Warren Sapp will be joining the Colorado coaching staff for the 2024 season, Sanders said Wednesday to Mark Johnson on the "Buffaloes Primetime Radio Show." Colorado has not confirmed if Sapp will join the staff next season.

"I'm excited about coach Sapp," Sanders said. "He's a dear friend that I love to life and he, he's going to be invaluable to what he brings to the table. The kids are going to love him. As far as their recruits as well, they're going to love him."

Warren Sapp and Colorado Buffaloes

Sapp has been one of several former NFL stars and celebrities to make their way to Boulder this season to see the Buffaloes under their first-year head coach. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneer and Oakland Raider has had the desire for months, telling "The Rich Eisen Show" in September about wanting to join the coaching staff after his visit with the team.

"For the first time in my life, I was loved on by some defensive linemen and they wanted to know, like, the keys to the vault," Sapp told Eisen. "I've never had anybody shake my pockets like that and ask for keys to the vault.

"I had five, six young men around me that were basically ready to strip-search me like, 'I know that there’s a key to this somewhere that you’re gonna give me for this,' and they’re willing to work," Sapp added. "They infected me, they really infected me. And I told Prime before I left, 'I’m coming back.'"

Sapp said Sanders told him he would have a spot on the coaching staff for him next season, and even gave a preview of what could come to the Buffaloes 2024 team.

"We gonna go out there and teach these kids these five steps to the quarterback because I know something about this game," he said. "When you have a quarterback like Shedeur (Sanders) and if my D-line are going to hunt the other quarterback, our chances of winning just went through the roof."

Colorado Buffaloes' 2023 defense

Sapp could prove to be a massive help for Colorado in 2024 as they prepare for their first season back in the Big 12. While the Buffaloes offense has improved from last season, the defensive unit has struggled. The defense has given up 35.9 points per game this season, sixth-worst in the FBS, and the 296.5 passing yards allowed per game is third-worst in FBS.

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While the defense ranks 99th with 168.1 rushing yards allowed per game, Colorado has been able to get to the quarterback decently this season, with the 2.4 sacks per game ranking 45th in the country.

Sanders didn't say what Sapp would be coaching for the team. Charles Kelly is the defensive coordinator of the team, with Sal Sunseri coaching the defensive tackles and Nick Williams coaching the defensive ends.

At 4-7, Colorado is riding a five-game losing streak into its final Pac-12 game with a road contest against Utah.