In the same week that Deion Sanders and his Colorado Buffaloes had to say goodbye to defensive coordinator Robert Livingston, another key member of his staff is leaving.
According to Colorado sports insider Brandon Krisztal, pass rush coordinator and NFL Hall of Famer Warren Sapp will not be returning to Colorado for the 2026 season. Sapp has been with the organization since Sanders' first season.
"Our @bkdenversports has learned Warren Sapp is not returning for a 4th season at Colorado. The Hall of Famer has coached the defensive pass rush coordinator since 2023 when came to Boulder as a member of Deion Sander's staff," Guerilla Sports reported on X.
Sapp is reportedly pursuing "other opportunities" and doesn't exactly occupy a vital spot on Sanders' staff. Even so, his decision to leave can be a little worrying for many.
Trouble in Boulder
Earlier this week, defensive coordinator Robert Livingston left after two years at the helm to become the defensive pass game coordinator of the Denver Broncos. Colorado must now find a new defensive coordinator a full month after nearly every other college football program has already finalized its staff for 2026.
The easy answer would be for Deion Sanders to just internally promote one of his assistants to the role, but most of the people on his staff don't have playcalling experience anywhere, let alone at the college level.
The other option would of course be to hire an external candidate, but that might entail having to make another slew of firings and hirings to get the men they want in place.
Suffice it to say, the options aren't all that great for Sanders and the timing just as it pertains to his tenure at Colorado leaves something to be desired.
Coach Prime is heading into his fourth year at the helm and in two of those seasons the Buffaloes have mostly been an embarrassment. Many of the people who were responsible for Sanders' rise to prominence are either in the NFL or simply not with the program anymore.
It's not unreasonable to call 2026 a make-or-break year for Sanders.