Irvin shocked Cowboys didn't hire Deion: 'We lost an opportunity'
Dallas Cowboys legend Michael Irvin said owner Jerry Jones made a mistake by not hiring Deion Sanders to be the franchise's next head coach.
"We lost an opportunity here," Irvin said in a video posted to his YouTube channel. I don't know what happened with Coach Schottenheimer and the Dallas Cowboys, but Jerry is a shrewd, shrewd businessman, and this opportunity, I'm shocked he did not see.
"I was pushing for Deion Sanders to be the next head coach, and I still stand 10 toes down on that push."
Irvin and Sanders played together with the Cowboys for five seasons from 1995-99 and won Super Bowl XXX in their first campaign as teammates.
Dallas instead hired offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, who has been with the team since 2022. It will be Schottenheimer's first NFL head coaching gig after more than 20 years spent as an assistant in various roles.
Jones, the team's owner and general manager, spoke with Sanders during the Cowboys' coaching search.
"To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and it's intriguing," Sanders said at the time. "I love Jerry and believe in Jerry. After you hang up and process it and think about it, it's intriguing. But I love Boulder and everything there is about our team, the coaches, our student body, and the community."
Sanders has gone 13-12 in two seasons as the head coach at Colorado, where he coached his son Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, both top prospects in this year's NFL draft.
Irvin contrasted the Cowboys with the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders, who are competing in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday. Dallas hasn't made the NFC title game since the 1995 season, the longest drought of any team in the conference.
"We have two NFC East teams in the NFC Championship Game being played tomorrow ... And they're in a position that we haven't held in 30 f----g years," the Hall of Fame wide receiver said.
The Cowboys began looking for a new head coach after they couldn't agree on a contract extension with Mike McCarthy, who held the job in Dallas for five seasons.