As the Dallas Cowboys' coaching search continues, all eyes are on Cowboys legend (and current Colorado coach) Deion Sanders, with plenty of former Dallas stars weighing in on his candidacy. Sanders's former Cowboys teammate Troy Aikman cautions that the job in Dallas comes with challenges that other franchises don't face, but he adds that he would never rule out Sanders's ability to succeed.
“Well, I wouldn’t bet against him. I absolutely would never bet against Deion," Aikman told The Dallas Morning News. "I’ve just seen it too many times. ... He’s proven that he’s earned the opportunity. So if he lands the job in Dallas, if that ultimately is what happens, or if he goes somewhere else within the NFL or even in the college ranks, I mean, he’s earned that opportunity."
Aikman doesn't know whether there is an ideal fit for a job like the Cowboys, but that Sanders would be able to command the locker room wherever he goes.
“I don’t know if I’d look at anyone and say it’s necessarily a great fit. I just think there’s a lot of hurdles. And so it may not be a great fit for anyone, but if Deion were to come on board, I think he’d be fantastic," Aikman said. "I think you would relate exceptionally well to the locker room. It’s amazing that for someone who’s as far removed from having played the reverence that these current players have for his career and what he was as a player. It’s pretty remarkable, and it says a lot for him. So I think he’d be fantastic no matter where he is. And as you guys have heard me say, I’m a big fan, and I would never bet against him.”
Any concerns he has about Sanders and the Cowboys largely apply to other candidates, including those like Robert Saleh and Kellen Moore, who are in the mix in Dallas.
"I think what maybe is a good fit some places isn’t a good fit here. It’s a challenging job for a lot of reasons, none of which you all haven’t heard before. So you know, who might be best is really anybody’s guess. ... A lot of people have been hired, a lot of people have been fired, and the results, for the most part, have kind of been the same."
Owner and general manager Jerry Jones has called Sanders about the job, but no formal interview has been set up. Even so, on Friday, Dallas-based NFL insider Ed Werder reported that those around Sanders believe that he would take the job if offered.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Troy Aikman Explains Why He'd 'Never Bet Against Deion Sanders' Amid Cowboys Rumors.
