Shortly after the Dallas Cowboys parted ways with Mike McCarthy on Monday, an interesting name emerged for the head coaching job.

Deion Sanders spoke with Jerry Jones about potentially becoming the Cowboys’ next head coach, Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports first reported Monday. The Colorado coach is expected to be a leading candidate for the job and discussions between him and Jones are expected to continue, Schultz added in his report.

Sanders confirmed in a statement to ESPN that he had a conversation with Jones.

“Hearing about Jerry Jones is really gratifying and fascinating,” Sanders told ESPN. “I love Jerry and believe in Jerry. When you put it on, process it and think about it, it’s fascinating. But I love Boulder and everything it has to do with our team, the coaches, our student body and the community.”

Since Sanders became Colorado’s head coach before the 2023 season, he has indicated multiple times that he would like to stay in Boulder and only coach at the college level. However, with his sons Shedeur and Shilo Sanders leaving the program for the NFL after the 2024 season, Sanders has recently opened up to the possibility of coaching at the professional level.

“The only way I would consider (coaching in the NFL) is coaching my sons,” Sanders said on “Good Morning America” in early January.

If Sanders is serious about the Cowboys job on the condition that he be allowed to coach his two sons, Dallas could run into a bit of a problem. Shedeur Sanders is expected to be one of the first quarterbacks selected in the 2025 NFL Draft (No. 1 in the current mock draft by Rob Rang of FOX Sports) during Dak Prescott’s four-year, $240 million extension next season begins. The Cowboys also hold the No. 12 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, so they may need to make a trade to acquire the younger Sanders.

The elder Sanders played on the last Cowboys team to win the Super Bowl in 1995 and spent five years there. The Hall of Famer was named All-Pro and Pro Bowler in four of his five seasons with the team.

Sanders began his coaching career in 2012 as an assistant for high school teams. After coaching high school football for eight years, Sanders became the head coach of Jackson State in 2020. He led the program to a 27-6 mark over three seasons and led Jackson State to the Celebration Bowl.

Those three seasons at Jackson State helped Sanders land the Colorado gig in December 2022. Sanders brought in both Shedeur and Shilo Sanders to go 4-8 in 2023 after Colorado posted a one-win season in 2022. The Buffaloes have improved significantly in 2024. 9-4 as two-way star Travis Hunter won the Heisman.

Regarding the Cowboys’ decision to move on from McCarthy, Jones said the two parties mutually agreed to part ways because the former head coach’s contract was set to expire Tuesday night.

“I have great respect for Mike and he has led the team through some very unique and challenging times during his tenure,” Jones said in a statement. “Last week, Mike and I had the opportunity to reflect together on all aspects of the past season, our players and staff, and we also spent a lot of time discussing the team’s path forward. These conversations were thorough and well received with adequate time and depth to cover.

“However, before contract negotiations began, it was clear to everyone that it would be better for each of us to go in a different direction. I thank Mike and wish him, his wife Jessica and their family all the best. They have been a wonderful part of our community here.”

McCarthy went 49-35 in five seasons as head coach of the Cowboys and led Dallas to three straight 12-5 records. However, the team went 7-10 in 2024 and missed the playoffs as it dealt with various injuries to key players.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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