Troy Aikman offers assessment on ‘old soul’ Deion Sanders’ move to coaching
By Keith Farner
Published:
If there’s one person who would have a unique perspective on Deion Sanders, and his move to college coaching, it’s former Dallas Cowboys teammate Troy Aikman. The former quarterback recently paid a visit to Jackson State to surprise Sanders and see his coaching first hand.
For Aikman, it comes down to being relevant and relatable.
“He’s kind of an old soul that is so relatable to today’s athlete,” the Hall of Fame quarterback said of Sanders, to Jarrett Bell of USA Today. “It’s a wonderful combination. I’m trying to think who else might be like that, to have been away from the game for as long as he has been, but is still very relevant as a player with this generation. Can you think of anybody?”
Aikman understands that Sanders must be able to connect with the players, both in recruiting, and developing them once they’re on campus.
“If I’m relevant, it’s because they see me as a broadcaster,” Aikman said. “They know I played, but they don’t relate to me as a player as much. When it comes to Deion, you’ve still got kids doing the ‘Prime Time’ dance when they get to the end zone.”
Aikman said he’s proud of Sanders because this move illustrates that he’s following up his words of developing kids from the next generation.
“Deion has his share of critics, as he knows,” Aikman said. “I think a lot of people look at what he does, because of his personality and such, that they don’t appreciate what it is he’s doing it. I feel like him going to Jackson State, he’s really put himself out there and laid it on the line. … I’m just really impressed with him. I think he’s already made a difference with a number of kids, and now he’s dealing with older kids, and I think he will have the kind of impact in their lives that we all need.”
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
