Florida State’s greatest football alum could return home in an attempt to return the program to the level of the glory days he played in.
Deion Sanders, a three-time All-American as a Seminole before embarking on a Pro Football Hall of Fame worthy NFL career, is a candidate for the open head coaching position at his alma mater, according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Florida State fired Willie Taggart on Sunday after just 21 games across a season and a half at the helm. The school is paying upwards of $20 million in buyouts for Taggart and his staff.
Sanders would be an experimental choice to replace Taggart. The two-time Super Bowl champion has no coaching experience outside of being the offensive coordinator at his son’s high school in Texas, spending most of his post-retirement professional life as an analyst on multiple platforms. He is currently an analyst with NFL Network.
When he was on the field, the cornerback/kick returner known as “PrimeTime” was one of the most electric athletes in football history. Sanders is a 10-time Pro Bowler (eight times as a cornerback, once as a kick returner and another as a punt returner), as well as a member of the NFL’s First-Team All-Decade team in the 1990’s as both a cornerback and punt returner.
A two-sport star at Florida State, his No. 2 jersey is retired.
Sanders’ name is a drop-off in coaching star power from other names on the market.
Florida State was linked with former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, but signs of his signing up were premature.
Former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer is available, but even if he was interested in the job (he’s not), he would not be a candidate after what FSU Athletic Director David Coburn said when addressing Meyer rumors even before firing Taggart.
"If Coach were hit by a bus tomorrow, we would not target Coach Meyer, period," Coburn told the Tallahassee Democrat in October. "I say that with all due respect to Coach Meyer, but we would not target Steve Spurrier either."
Brian Fonseca may be reached at bfonseca@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @briannnnf. Find NJ.com on Facebook.