BOULDER — Warren Sapp had talked to Deion Sanders about joining his fellow Hall of Famer in the coaching ranks before, but it hadn't clicked for Sapp until he showed up on Colorado’s campus. The legendary defensive lineman was visiting longtime friend Sanders prior to Week 1 last season and was receiving treatment in the hot tub inside the Buffaloes’ facility when defensive lineman after defensive lineman came up to introduce themselves and ask questions. Sapp used to spend time in the offseason working with NFL players.
He'd tell them to let him know when they were in Miami so he could give pointers during workouts. He’d rarely get a call. At CU, that hasn’t been an issue.
“These kids called me at 5:30 in the morning (saying), ‘Hey coach, you want to come watch tape with me?’” Sapp recalled Tuesday. “It’s crazy. I’m like, ‘Yeah, give me a purpose to get off the couch.
’” “Trust me, I was on my couch watching MSNBC,” he said with a laugh. “I’m loving this.” If you saw Sapp on the sidelines during the Buffs’ win at TCU last season, and during a home loss to USC a few weeks later, you could see he was getting the itch to coach.
NFL Hall of Famer Warren Sapp throws a football on the field before Colorado's 2023 season opener against TCU on Sept. 2, 2023 at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.
Sapp was officially hired as a graduate assistant on Deion Sanders' coaching staff this spring. After getting his degree from Texas Christia.