Deion Sanders is likely the most famous college football coach in the country, thanks to his legendary playing career. The Pro Football Hall of Famer clearly values what his fame and pro experience brings to the table, and has targeted big names to fill his coaching staff.
After Damione Lewis, a 10-year NFL veteran, left Colorado for his alma mater Miami, Sanders is expected to tab another long-tenured pro to fill the vacancy as defensive line coach: Domata Peko.
Peko played 15 years in the league, spending his first decade with the Cincinnati Bengals before stints with the Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals. He retired following the 2020 season. He worked with the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff last season, and will now break into college coaching to lead the Buffaloes defensive line, according to On3's Pete Nakos.
Peko is set to work with graduate assistant Warren Sapp, a Hall of Fame former defensive lineman who is carving out a role on Sanders's staff. A third Hall of Famer, Marshall Faulk, was added as the team's new running backs coach earlier this month. He will also be working under a coach with whom he's very familiar, Colorado defensive coordinator Robert Livingston, a former Bengals assistant who overlapped with Peko in Cincinnati.
Colorado is coming off of a breakout 9–4 season, a five-win improvement from Sanders's first season in 2023. The Buffaloes will have to rebuild on the fly, however, after losing a number of key players including quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman-winning wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, both of whom are in the mix to be the top pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Deion Sanders to Add Another Longtime NFL Player to Colorado Staff.
