“For someone that never wanted to do this, I am really addicted to it right now.” That’s Warren Sapp talking about coaching—yeah, the same Warren Sapp who once had zero plans to step into this world. Honestly, it’s not surprising. I mean, plenty of NFL legends dipped their toes into coaching. Some stick around for a long time, while others realize that coaching isn’t for them, But Sapp?
Oh, the former Buccaneers‘ defensive tackle is all locked in as Colorado’s pass rush coordinator under coach Prime, Deion Sanders. And let’s be real—the one thing that probably every team needs is an ex-NFL player as their coach. The reason’s pretty simple: they understand and know the game very well. At least, that’s what the two-time Super Bowl champ and six-time Pro Bowler, LeSean ‘Shady’ McCoy believes.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Warren Sapp talked about how he had to switch his coaching style up for Colorado’s defensive tackle, Tawfiq Thomas. When asked, “Did you find it seamless to teach the game?” Sapp straight up talked about that one time when he basically had an ‘Alright, you win‘ moment and decided to coach Thomas in a way that fits his style best. “I’ll give you the prime example. It’s Tawfiq. Oh, my god. He drove me crazy,” he started.
Example of why we need more ex players coaching and in the front office because we understand and get it https://t.co/9dHooDmVig
— LeSean Shady Mccoy (@CutonDime25) March 19, 2025
“(He) just lit me up every day. Every day, he’s doing this, he’s doing that. ‘I’m sorry, son. I’m gonna stop trying to teach you what I know, and I’m gonna go with what you know, because that seems to work for you.” Classic Sapp. Because let’s be honest—Sapp has played for 13 seasons in the NFL and surely knows a thing or two about how to take care of a DT like Tawfiq Thomas.
He further added, “So if it works for you, but what I need from you is to be disciplined. Not off-sides, getting off that ball in the backfield penetrate. If you can do that, then you can do all that hockey stuff you like.’ And we took off from that point on because he was not coming over to my side, So I had to come over to his side.” And guess what?
A few hours later, on Wednesday, LeSean McCoy saw Sapp’s clip, took to his ‘X’ handle, clicked the re-share button, and gave a nod of approval to Sapp. “Example of why we need more ex-players coaching and in the front office because we understand and get it,” he wrote in his post. Well, McCoy’s shout-out isn’t just for Sapp. Oh no! It’s more about a nod to the NFL trend of former players stepping in as coaches and making an impact.
Take Dan Campbell with the Lions and DeMeco Ryans with the Texans, for instance. At one time, these guys were in trenches, and now? Well, y’all probably know about that. And let’s not forget that not a long time ago, the New England Patriots signed Mike Vrabel as their new head coach—who spent eight seasons with the Pats in his days.
So yeah, McCoy’s views on ex-NFL players as coaches aren’t without merit. After all, we’ve already seen Warren Sapp transitioning from a DT to Colorado Buffaloes’ coach.
Warren Sapp: From NFL Hall of Famer to a coach under Deion Sanders
Warren Sapp’s journey from an NFL Hall of Famer to a pass rush coordinator surely gives the Gladiator vibes. From being one of the toughest defensive tackles on the gridiron to filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and finally getting a new role as an assistant coach under Deion Sanders. Yeah, it sure feels like something out of a Charles Dickens story—except instead of rags to riches, it’s sacks to coaching.
Sapp started his NFL career when the Bucs drafted him back in the 1995 NFL draft. In his final year with the Bucs, Sapp eventually won the Super Bowl against the Oakland Raiders in 2003. A year later, the Hall of Famer signed a massive seven-year $36.6 million contract with the Raiders. By the time he hung up his cleats in 2007, Sapp had a career earning of $58 million. BUT! Back in 2012, the NFL legend filed for bankruptcy with $6.7 million in debts. Not the kind of post-retirement life he would’ve expected.
Fast forward to now and Sapp is earning $150K under coach Prime. And guess what? The 52-year-old NFL legend is addicted to coaching. “For someone that never wanted to do this, I am really addicted to it right now,” he told reporters last year after joining the Colorado Buffaloes. “The babies are really giving me a purpose in life, and I’m enjoying it.”
That said, it’s safe to say that after the highs and lows in his post-retirement career, Warren Sapp finally found the right gig. Or should we say, the former NFL DT is now addicted to his new gig? Do let us know your views.
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