Deion Sanders has already made headlines for his high-level recruiting as football coach at Jackson State University. Now, the former superstar is making waves with the coaches he's bringing around to help shape his program. Sanders recently called upon former Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer to serve as an analyst for the JSU program, though no announcement of an official hire has been made by the school. Still, Zimmer recently met with the team and is excited to help Coach Prime.
"He's asked me about it a few times. The pay's not good," Zimmer told Thee Pregame Show. "But I do love Deion and I'd do anything for him."
Zimmer and Sanders are long-time friends who worked together in Dallas during the 1990s when Sanders was a star player for the Cowboys and Zimmer a defensive assistant for the franchise. Now, after continuing that relationship on through the years, Zimmer has become bullish on what Sanders can accomplish as the former NFL star enters his third season leading the program.
"I think the sky is the limit," Zimmer said. "If some people would donate to him and his football program, there would be no stopping him. He would be competing with the Georgias and Alabamas and everybody around the country."
Zimmer famously fielded a phone call from Sanders during a press conference in November last year amid his last season with the Vikings. Others on the Jackson State staff, such as Dennis Thurman and Jeff Weeks, have NFL assistant experience, but Zimmer stands out for his eight years as a head coach at the highest level.
Zimmer, 66, was an assistant for the Cowboys from 1994 to 2006, covering the entirety of Sanders' five-year playing stint with the franchise from 1995-99. After stints as defensive coordinator for the Falcons and Bengals, Zimmer became head coach of the Vikings in 2014. He was fired as Vikings coach upon the conclusion of the 2021 season.
