Coach Prime, Deion Sanders, has called for a press conference with his medical team on Monday. While this would probably just provide “general and team updates” for the 2025 season as the announcement said, this has fueled speculation that Coach Prime might be announcing his retirement due to his myriad health issues, including blood clots that forced him to have two of his toes amputated.
The question now is, who might replace the NFL legend who has turned Colorado around from one of the worst teams to a contender? With the season fast approaching, Colorado might not have that much time, which means that Coach Prime’s assistants may be the likeliest ones to take up his mantle should he actually retire over his health concerns.
Who Will Likely Replace Deion Sanders Should He Retire Abruptly?
Pat Shurmur (Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks Coach)
One of the likeliest coaches to replace Sanders is his own assistant, Pat Shurmur, the offensive coordinator for the Colorado Buffaloes, as well as its quarterbacks coach. Shurmur has plenty of coaching experience, and much like Sanders, his experience comes from the NFL, but not as a player, but as an actual coach.
Shurmur has been a QB, tight ends and offensive line coach for various teams, such as the Philadelphia Eagles. He was even the head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 2011-2012. as well as the New York Giants from 2018-2019, so he knows how to handle a team. As the offensive coordinator, he coached the Colorado offense to an average of 397.6 yards per game last year.
Robert Livingston (Defensive Coordinator)
Robert Livingston has been credited for turning Colorado’s offense around last year, and like Shurmur and Sanders, he also has a lot of NFL experience to back up his credentials. As the defensive coordinator, he coached a team that limited Colorado’s opponents to just 23.08 points per game.
His biggest achievement happened in the NFL, however, in 2021, as he worked for the Cincinnati Bengals as the secondary defensive coach. The Bengals had the fifth-best rushing defense in the NFL that year and won the AFC North title with a 10-7 record. The 2021 Bengals made it all the way to the Super Bowl, and Livingston was credited much for their defense.
Kevin Mathis (Cornerbacks Coach)
The former Atlanta Falcon has enjoyed his retirement as a player by imparting his knowledge to the college stars over at Buffalo as the cornerbacks coach, and he has proven effective on that end, as the Colorado cornerbacks held opponents to just over 200 passing yards per game last season.
Mathis has been working closely with Deion Sanders since 2012, starting his coaching career at the Prime Prep Academy before joining him when he took the Jackson State University job in 2020. When Sanders joined Colorado, he followed Coach Prime to Boulder as well, so if anybody knows Sanders’ coaching style the best, it is probably Mathis.
Jason Phillips (Wide Receivers Coach)
Phillips oversaw one of the best players in college football last year in Travis Hunter, who won the Heisman trophy earlier this year. It was Phillips who oversaw his development, and he also coached other great wide receivers for the Buffaloes, such as Will Sheppard and LaJohntay Wester. The three Buffaloes wide receivers finished the regular season with over 600 receiving yards each.
Damione Lewis (Defensive Line Coach)
Another former NFL star who is imparting his league knowledge to Buffaloes players, Damione Lewis has proven that he can coach. The Colorado defensive line had 87 tackles for loss and 37 sacks during the 2024 season and he helped the defense improve significantly. He has since left Colorado for his alma mater, but a call from Coach Prime could get him to return to Boulder.
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